9.06.2016

That's A Huge Chunk Of Change

Let's ask Gretchen for her thoughts. Oh, my . . . .


at 9:00 AM

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts




  • *cough* *cough*
  • Fox 4's Saul Garza posted a scenic shot yesterday morning at Joe Pool Lake . . . right before they resumed searching for a body. 
  • Isn't this a crazy crime in Wichita Falls sort of hovering off the radar?: On Friday afternoon, two 13-year-old girls were shot as they walked home from school, killing one and wounding the other. I say "off the radar" yet I saw it from People magazine. 
  • Rural prosecutors are now causing rising prison incarceration rates?  Here's a New York Time's story which suggests the answer is yes (and even includes a interactive graphic for every Texas county.)
  • The Catholics kind of fudge it on this "two miracle" thing when it comes to sainthood, right? 
  • Regarding whether the UT quarterback heard negative "Boooooos" or positive "Swooopes", I'm strongly sticking with my contention they were "boos" with one slight change. There might have been many, many "Oh, nooo, Swoooopes" or "Sheesh, it's Swoooopees" or flat out "Noooooooo!"  Texas has been seeking a QB since McCoy. Charlie Strong hadn't committed to one publically.  Shane Buechele came out and gave the masses hope. Not one of them wanted to see Swoopes. I know how the Empire thinks.
  • Ennis police killed someone last night. This one involves an allegation of driving a vehicle in the direction on an officer. 
  • A new dishwasher it is. I engaged in some quantum-physics-benefit-cost-unhappy-spouse analysis regarding the one which has broken down and came to the conclusion of, "Oh, screw it. Let's get a new one."
  • For the first time I can remember, the Dallas Morning News will not endorse the Republican nominee for president saying that Trump "is not qualified to serve as president and does not deserve your vote."
  • It may not mean anything, but the Washington Post said this morning that Hillary leads Trump by 1 in Texas.
  • Saw the obituary of my assistant Pee Wee football coach.  It made me realize how kids of all ages never forget their coaches.
  • I think this is weird: A group photo posted by a Dallas judge after a $36 million judgment in her court (Side notes: (1) There was a $36 million judgment? For what? (2) Tell me the defense lawyer isn't in the photo. That's not where I would want to be. (3) Trials aren't parties.)

  • A Houston area DPS trooper is in serious condition after his parked car was hit. 
  • Breaking: CBS 11 is reporting that "sources" say Dallas DA Susan Hawk will resign today.


at 8:38 AM

9.05.2016

Decatur Sign Possibly On Steroids









at 11:43 AM

Random Monday Morning Thoughts



  • Yep, hardest working man in show business.
  • The Austin-American Statesman points out that some big city DA offices are going soft on the prosecution of marijuana because it is not a priority.  There is no public backlash. Who would have known that former Wise County Attorney Stephen Hale was ahead of his time in the mid 1990s when he refused to prosecute tiny amount of marijuana possession.
  • Lost of great college football this weekend but nothing was quite as moving as Nebraska going out into a "missing man" formation and intentionally getting a delay of game penalty in honor of its former punter who was recently killed in a car accident.
  • From a story of a former meth dealing cheerleaders from The Colony:  "Frisco soccer moms, as sad as that is, were my best customers because they were too scared to get out and get it themselves. But they wanted to clean the house all day and be productive and be wired," she says.
  • The Trump kids put out a print ad this weekend but the photo has been the love of the Internet. They do look like they are about to murder you.
  • I mention that I wanted to go to Burning Man some day, and this morning Drudge has a headline of  "Revolution against 'rich parasites' at utopian Burning Man."
  • It's a Fox News poll so, in this context, it is correct. And it's amazing:
  • Are we ever going to get the cause of death of ESPN's John Saunders? ESPN honored him over the weekend but no one addresses the elephant in the room. 
  • I like Fox 4's Jenny Anchondo but found it interesting that she used the word "philanthropist" on her blog page. (Technically, you don't have to one of the super wealthy to be one.)
  • Texas and Notre Dame was incredibly entertaining last night. But it was so disturbing of seeing the The Evil Empire running the Baylor offense. What took them so long? What has taken everyone so long? 
  • BagOfNothing reports this morning that the "boos" you heard when Swoopes first went in as quarterback were actually yells of "Swooooooopes".  Got to disagree with you there, buddy. Them were boos. 
  • This is actually a cool picture. You can see the coin up at the top while two of the players glare each other down. 
  • The Aggies had a crowd for the UCLA game was 100,433. An all time Texas high? Nope. And not even the biggest crowd of the weekend. 
  • I completely missed that DPS, which had a massive budget increase last year, now wants $1 billion just for border security.  
  • The police union in Santa Clara is threatening a boycott of the Kaepernick no-stand-at-anthem policy inadvertently strengthens his position. 
  • The Denton Police are not happy about this from over the weekend. According to Facebook comments (which are highly entertaining), it had been sitting unattended "for weeks":
  • I've always questioned elected officials on Twitter. Is their account informative or are they just campaigning during work hours? That Texas supreme court judge that loves Twitter as much as life itself must be feeling uneasy since he just unveiled an official campaign Twitter account. Not a bad strategy. He can always say, "No, that's my official account" yet can continue using his regular one for de facto campaigning.
  • Labor day reading: PTA mom was almost framed by a wicked lawyer couple. It's broken down into "six parts" but it is a really short read. The "parts" are the equivalent of very short chapters. Good stuff. (The final part was released last night). 

at 8:31 AM

9.03.2016

College Football Saturday Is Back

Mississippi State is upset by South Alabama, and I can't stop watching the crowd.
Edit: Bonus coverage of Penn State's massive kicker.


at 2:28 PM

Above The Fold


Readable full.
at 2:04 PM

Oklahoma Earthquake Felt Across Texas This Morning

And we are talking a real, legitimate earthquake.



But Amy wins the day:


at 8:07 AM

9.02.2016

It's Friday And We're All A Happy Family. Right? Let's Get Out Of Here.










at 2:30 PM

More Election Bits


at 9:49 AM

Ever Wonder . . .



. . . why an umpire never calls "Foul!" prior to the ball coming to a stop or being touched out of play?
at 8:59 AM

Random Friday Morning Thoughts



  • We had a discussion at the courthouse the other day as to what were the origins of Labor Day. I said, "I bet it had a lot to do with catering to unions back in the day -- probably first half of the 1900s."  Our crack research staff told me I wasn't far off.
  • Nothing like starting off your day cleaning up cat throw up.
  • Hurry, build that wall! Those people are taking our jobs!:
  • That Florida hurricane was like most hurricanes: Not much to it. I bet hurricane news coverage is split 90% to 10% on pre-coverage vs. post-coverage.
  • I had Schlotzsky's for the first time in forever. Pretty, pretty good. 
  • Funny. (I think this is out of South Carolina): 
  • More Harambe comedy:
  • "AUSTIN — A week after Longhorns used sex toys to protest Texas' new campus carry law, a Frisco-based gun-rights activist has released a video that depicts the fictional shooting death of a young University of Texas student" who the same name as one of the protest organizers. Pushing it? Yep. But tap the brakes if your reaction to certain speech is to be offended and then your next knee jerk reaction is that criminalize that speech. 
  • Some wonder what retiring Dallas Police Chief Brown will do next, and many assume he'll go into politics. I don't think so. If he's smart, he tries to get a gig like that crazy David Clarke on Fox News. The only trouble is that Brown might be so reasonable that no network will want him. 
  • App State almost beat Tennessee last night. On the first week of broadcast of the obscure Big Ten Network a few years back, I stumbled upon live the crazy upset of App State over Michigan. I felt like I was the only person watching it on TV.
  • Baylor plays tonight. I fear a horrible year despite a ton of talent. There's a weird funk of depression hovering over that place. 
  • Northwest's high school quarterback is named Prince Mavula.  I picture him breaking the huddle wearing long flowing robes. 
  • Trump is up early this morning watching MSNBC: 
  • Things that the goofy Texas Supreme Court justice tweeted yesterday. (By my count, the Texas Supreme Court has been on a two month vacation):
  • Brock Turner, the Stanford student given six months in jail, was released this morning as reporters were standing by. ("Brock Tanner" sounds like something out of Boogie Nights.)




at 8:39 AM

9.01.2016

Let's Check In On Neighbor County




Link to story.
at 12:22 PM

It Rained In Lubbock Yesterday


at 9:00 AM

City of Decatur Lawyer Fee Collusion History


A faithful reader sent me this.

It looks like the local Decatur lawyers got together in 1951 (or earlier) and agreed on a minimum fee for routine matters in civil practice. And then they put the collusion down on paper.

at 8:50 AM

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts


  • "The state’s highest criminal court Wednesday morning dismissed all three appeals filed on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s behalf, saying his lawyers neglected to include everything needed on the petitions." However, the court gave them 10 days to fix it. That's one odd thing about appeals: At the trial court level, missing a deadline can be fatal to your case. Once a case is appealed, you can screw up, the court will tell you screwed up, but the court will always give you a chance to fix it. 
  • There hasn’t been a criminal defense lawyer on the U.S. Supreme Court in 25 years. 
  • Sounds like a movie: A Penn State professor who police say was pushed off an 80-foot rock quarry ledge died slowly and possibly was alive and immobile for up to two days.
  • Call back country humor in the Update this morning with a reference to the long known cause of many an accident: He tried to "straighten out the curb". Edit: CURVE!
  • Do police get overtime pay for attending a funeral in full uniform?
  • I told you that there's something weird about the case in Johnson County about the lady which allegedly withheld medical care for her child for attention. Yesterday, at a court hearing, she even had that "this case is different" look. 
  • Halloween idea: Sexy Harambe outfit.
  • Someone explain Trump's  “ideological certification test” for immigration that he mentioned last night. He said, "I only want to admit people who share our values and love our people." Truly, what "values" does Trump want to impose upon those who wish to come here?
  • And how did he get away with this last night: "The result of her misconduct was the release of thousands and thousands of dangerous criminal aliens who should have been sent home to their countries. Instead we have them all over the place. Probably a couple in this room as a matter of fact, but I hope not." So he's seen a couple of people in the room who look like "criminal aliens"?
  • But he is gaining on Hillary.

at 8:39 AM

8.31.2016

Not Gonna Make It


She intends to walk 10 miles a day* which, by my Bridgeport taught ciphering skills, has her arriving on January 15, 2017.
_____
*Showing her wisdom, she added "or until someone in D.C. takes notice."
at 12:30 PM

My Stadium Bragging Montage


Faithful readers know I'm a fan of sports stadiums. (It's weird. I know.)  But for over twenty-five years I've made it a point to try and visit major stadiums in the U.S. My criteria for making the following list is to actually have bought a ticket and watched all (or portion) of a game that counts. The list follows.

The easy ones:
  • The Ballpark in Arlington
  • Ranger Stadium (torn down)
  • Cotton Bowl 
  • Texas Stadium (torn down)
  • Jerry World
  • TCU (but not since recent renovations)
  • SMU (new one and the old Ownby Stadium)
  • North Texas (Fouts Field only)
  • AAC (Stars only. Not Mavericks)
  • Reunion Arena
College Football Stadiums:
  • Baylor (old and new)
  • LSU
  • Florida 
  • Alabama
  • Tennessee
  • Ole Miss
  • Clemson
  • Georgia
  • Michigan 
  • Texas
  • aTm
  • UTEP
  • Kansas
  • Kansas State
  • Oklahoma
  • Arkansas
  • West Virginia
  • Rose Bowl (Texas vs. Michigan)
  • Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego (Tech vs. Cal)
  • Alamo Bowl (Baylor vs. Washington)
NFL Stadiums:
  • New Orleans Saints
  • Atlanta
  • Tennessee
  • New York Giants (the old Meadowlands)
  • Kansas City
  • Pittsburgh (actually saw Pitt Panthers play at Heinz Field)
Major League Baseball Stadiums:
  • Yankee Stadium (old not new stadium)
  • Boston's Fenway Park
  • Chicago' Wrigley
  • Chicago's Comisky
  • Colorado Rockies
  • Arizona Diamondbacks
  • Oakland Athletics
  • Seattle Mariners
  • Kansas City (playoff game)




at 10:27 AM

Rangers Won Last Night


at 9:13 AM
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