Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Does Fox 4's Steve Eagar have a toupee?
• Congrats to Brock Smith for the district judge appointment.  Everyone thinks Brock and I had this huge falling out since we used to be law partners. We didn't. He walked in one day and said, "I think we should split up." I said, "OK." It was like that episode of Seinfeld where Jerry's girlfriend broke up with him in the diner. We are friends. I've had to explain that to at least four people this week. 
• Someone asked me if I would run for election for next March's Republican Primary for district judge. The answer is no. For my future, my eyes are on the beaches of Costa Rica more that the any benches in Wise County.
• There were no protesters at Trump Jr.'s appearance yesterday. That confuses me. 
• In the last two weeks I've seen two former district judges from Tarrant County appearing in the Wise County District Court in criminal cases. One I would trust with my life. One I wouldn't lend $10 to.
• The greatest part of getting older is that you don't care what you say. (See above bullet point.) 
• Speaking of, since the great Judge Fostel died, we have had some guy named Judge Weeks, a retired judge, fill in. He seems to be, I think, a good older guy, but there was a weird transformation about him. He started off being kind and then, oddly, turned into a little bit of a tyrant. Last week, I asked for a first-time continuance because of an out of town softball tournament for my daughter.  He granted it but looked at me and said, "I'll allow you to got to your softball game." You'll allow me?  Buddy, I was going regardless of what you said, and if you threw me in jail it would been the greatest day of my life. It would give rise to the most fantastic blog post of all time and the defense bar from across the state would come rushing in like it was Normandy to get me out of there within an hour. 
• Unlike him, we now have a judge who understands the Fourth Amendment. 
• Hot sports opinion: Winless Baylor beats Texas this weekend. #SportsGenius
• High school football rankings. Uh, what?: 
  
• I've been saying for a year that radio boy Mark Davis has lost his mind. He wrote this for the Dallas Morning News. Dude, Trump ran as a Republican and you supported him. 
  
• The soon to be released JFK files interest me. 
• How was it 103 degrees in Los Angelas yesterday?
• Incompetence: "Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore announced Monday that prosecutors have dropped all charges against state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, ending a two-year saga in which the veteran Austin Democrat was investigated by the Texas Rangers, indicted on corruption charges, and beat the rap."

Breaking

Wise County and Jack County judge news is coming today. One applicant just got a call that they are "going in a different direction."

That's all I know right now.

Here's the Governor's appointment link. 

Edit: This is weird. As of 2:30, there is no update. You call one applicant in the morning and tell him he didn't get it but then sit on your hands?

Edit: BOOM!

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Billy O'Reilly paying a jaw dropping $32 million to settle a sex harrassment case is, well, jaw dropping. And to think Fox News gave him a new contract after it. And to think Hannity had him on his show this month. Fox News is all about family values. 
• The Cowboys' Sean Lee is hurt again. Who would believe it?
• This first Twin Peaks Waco Biker Trial is weird. It's not about who is a shooter, it's about who was in charge. What a stupid case to pick to start it all out with. And remember, 177 people were arrested. 
• Trump Jr. is in Arlington today. UNT is sponsoring it. Mrs. LL and I discussed going to it simply to protest with a creative sign. 
• When I was a kid, dad took us to Disneyland. For $20 extra, passengers got to take a helicopter to Anaheim. It probably seated 20. My mother thought it was very unstable. One week later, the helicopter crashed killing passengers. 
• The Denton courthouse uses private security folks to screen people coming in. (But why there are five seems a little odd, however.)
• Good lord. Is everyone corrupt?
  
• There has to be a shortage of construction workers. I've mentioned before that the Love's in Bridgeport has taken forever to complete. There's a convenience store on 287 in the heart of Decatur that looks like it will never be completed. The hotel by the convention center in Decatur is moving very slowly. 
• According to this morning's Update, a Wise County deputy was involved in a shooting in Chico.
• It is now October 24th, and the Governor has still not appointed a new district judge for Wise and Jack Counties. Once again, there is a primary election in March. 
• The great Dentist Dr. Dan in Bridgeport warned me years ago I had a impacted wisdom tooth problem that would cause problems. I ignored him. I shouldn't have. 
• Former Tech coach, Mike Leach, who I love and is crazy, discusses the difference between Vikings and Pirates. 
• Is it just me seeing this, or are there more temporary license plate paper tags lately? And wouldn't that be a great scam? You could print them out with a legitimate number of a car that matches the make and model of you car if you had access to the right database. 

Decatur High School's Volleyball Team Gets Picked Up By Deadspin

Link

How Is This Possible?

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• "It is 'highly inappropriate'" to get into a debate with a four star General." - Press Secretary Huckabee-Sanders after the press questioned his defense of Trump. You kidding me? Does anyone in the Administration have any idea the important roll of the press in this country? 
• This will only appeal to legal gurus: A weird Fort Worth appellate case just released on the Speedy Trial Act.
  
   
• I think Curb Your Enthusiasm is one of the funniest shows I've ever seen. And when you can get Salman Rushdie to make an appearance (which is an old Seinfeld joke) you are on the top of your game. 
• Sports: (1) The UT quarterback is a gamer but might not be very smart. You cannot make that throw in overtime. (2) The Indiana game had one bizarre moment: They let Michigan State score from about 10 yards out so they could get the ball back. It didn't work out, but it truly was the smart thing to do.  (3) The Cowboys having to use a defensive back as a replacement  kicker was high entertainment. 
• For some reason I ended up at a UNT softball game on Friday night. There are more people at Decatur baseball games. But it was entertaining and I got to see the rare ball hit to the right fielder who was able to throw out the runner at first base, 
• The Freshman In The House called me "bro" last night. I didn't get mad, but I did pause and, deadpanning, asked the question, "Did you just call me 'bro'?"
• You kidding me? One con man promoting the book of another con man. 
  
• Does he have a date and time? I'm trying to make vacation plans. (And he's trying to sell a book instead of doing his job as a pastor. Incredible.) 
  
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• We've got a huge tree in the front lawn which either had a premature fall of leaves or is dead. (I'll find out next Spring. )
• Some running back from McKinney High has rushed for 592 yards. In one game. 
• Only $125 to see a millenial comic open for Sheriff Joe at a Trump golf course!:
  
• The front page story entitled  "Dark Days" in the Messenger is fantastic. There is so much history which has been lost and stories like this need to be told. My dad had never heard of it. 
• There was a fire in a nice house in Bridgeport that caused a  fatality. My brother lived on that street about 30 years ago and I'm trying to figure out if it is the same house. 
• From the Update: "SHERIFF’S OFFICE K-9 PARTNER MISSING". That must not have been a very strong "kennel."
• The Richardson child's body has been found. Was she moved there or is daddy telling the truth that he put her out by a tree and then she wandered off? Either way, it is heartbreaking.

Above The Fold

It's Friday. Let's Get Out Of Here.

"Welp, see ya later" (Side note: Nice shoes. Bad tattoo.)

Get me this dog!

I've been telling you to keep your eye out for the drivers of big trucks.

It's new. It is called "The Worm Face Plant Dance."

Opening in December: "The Blindside 2"

Is there such a thing as "accidental suicide?"

I don't like sushi, either.

Whatever Happened To The The Original "And Another"?

Debra LaVave.

People Magazine tracked her down.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• The future of the Colonial Golf Tournament may be in doubt.
• George W. went after Trump yesterday: "We’ve seen our discourse degraded by casual cruelty . . . . Bullying and prejudice in our public life sets a national tone and provides permission for cruelty and bigotry. The only way to pass along civic values is to first live up to them. . . . Bigotry or white supremacy in any form is blasphemy against the American creed.” 
• Did Love Field have a movie theater back in the day? I know my church took us to see Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once and we all took a bus, and I could swear it was at Love Field. Did it have a roller rink? An ice rink? 
• I think I've mentioned this before, but there used to be a light rail that went from a parking lot into the Tandy Center in downtown Fort Worth. I was on a double date in high school and as we were leaving the guy conducting one of the trains (which was empty) yelled at us as we were getting into our car, "Can you tell me my speed?" He wanted us to drive along side him in the empty parking lot because he wanted to see how fast he could get the train to go. I did it. He got it up to somewhere in the 30s. He was an idiot. I was an idiot. But it was fun. 
• There was a comment yesterday that said Tarrant County DA Sharen Wilson is letting associates in a big law firm (Kelly, Hart) come in and try DWI cases (for experience I suppose.) Is that true? That cannot possibly be true. 
• White Supremacist Richard Spencer spoke at the University of Florida and it wasn't pretty.  A handful of people showed up to support him wearing white shirts. Even if you support him, which is their right, why show up at public event to be photographed? It will have life long consequences. They actually raised their hands when Spencer asked, "Raise your hand if you identify with the alt-right." 
• I'd pay big money to have him speak at the Decatur Convention Center just so Joe Duty could take photographs of who shows up.
• Let me rethink that.  I'd love to be on stage with him for a debate.  I bet it would be a packed house, and I would pay Spencer to show up. I would do it for free. The Messenger could promote it: Alt-Right vs. Liberally Lean: The Thrilla on 380. How fun would that be? Edit: Thanks to a commentor for the suggestion: We would make it The Thrilla In Dacat-Ah.
• Crazy Conspiracy theory: Any chance Big Tex burned because Dickies gets free promotion every year? He had the logo on his shirt which is shown time and time again. (Dickies was sold recently.) 
• Nooooo! Not the goofy Texas Supreme Court justice! (This is from a reporter of the great Texas Tribune.)
  
• What a weird case: A law firm files a lawsuit against the State Fair of Texas for violating the Open Records Act, the judge rules they aren't subject to the law, and now the law firm has to pay $178,000 the State Fair's legal fees. (And for the life of me, how the fees can be that high on an Open Records fight is beyond comprehension.)

Heck, Maybe He Is Making America Great Again

Bald eagle spotted eating black cat on downtown Norfolk sidewalk https://t.co/MjN4GplIJE pic.twitter.com/LeM7616J4u

— Dennis Jansen (@dennisjansen) October 19, 2017

A Huge Question Mark Has Formed Over My Head

These boys were soliciting money on 377 and Western Center Boulevard in Fort Worth yesterday.

Utility department?

Am I Wrong Not To Be Offended By This?

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• There's a stock market crash coming and a real estate crash coming. It's cyclical. It always happens. I've seen two real estate crashes in my lifetime already. Off the top of my head, one was around 1991 and the other around 2004 or so. They last for an average of seven years before property values return to where they were. 
• The "Drews" mentioned below is the SWAT team leader involved in the Waco Twin Peaks Biker case. It might be a system by system basis, but if what he said is generally true, there is about to be a big shakeup in criminal cases. (Witherspoon is a reporter covering the trial.)
  
  
• Did Trump provide proof yesterday that he didn't say what the Congressman claims he did say to the widow of the Green Beret? No. 
• The U.S. Senate approved Newt Gringich's (third) wife as Ambassador to the Vatican. (Newt left his wife dying of cancer for this woman.) You simply can't make this stuff up. The party of Family Values.
  
• On the radio the other day I heard a Radney Foster reference. Haven't thought about him in years. But I've always loved his song Nobody Wins. The lyrics are so true. Every  marriage counselor should make his clients print out the lyrics and make the couple read them to each other and talk about it. 
• Very obscure music trivia: At the end of the song you hear a woman's voice for just a few seconds. It's Trisha Yearwood. Edit: A commentor says it is Mary Chapin-Carpenter. He is right. I stand corrected. 
• There's a commercial on the radio that for some reason references Lawn Darts. I remember seeing a commercial for them when I was a kid. The next time I was reminded of them was in a Torts class in law school. Parents let there kids play with them in the 1970s. What could go wrong?
  
• A 100 year old time capsule buried at Love Field will be opened today. I'm very interested if it survived. 
• I proclaim this National Irony Week:
  
• I need to start a "Favorite Comment From Yesterday's Random Thoughts" bullet point. Below is my favorite from yesterday.  Like I've said, I got the smartest and dumbest readers in the world. And there is no way he/she will understand why they fall in the latter category after they read this. 
  
  
• The NFL draft will be held at Cowboys Stadium. Heck, I might go watch the first ten picks if I don't have to pay. I'm not paying for parking, and I'm not paying for admission. That means I probably won't go. 
• I turned over to WBAP this morning and the boys were ranting about something Jane Fonda said. Hal Jay said he would never forgive her for the photograph in a war "that left 50,000 men dead for no reason whatsoever." Gold. 
• When I click on any Messenger link this morning I get a 404 error. Uh, oh. Edit; Seems to be fixed by 8:45.
• I find it very odd that the security guard in the Las Vegas mass shooting case who was allegedly shot first decided to give his first interview on Ellen. Everyone wants to be famous. 

AG Jeff Sessions Is Either A Liar or Senile or Incompetent

.@SenBlumenthal: "Hasn’t your office been contacted to request an interview with you by the special counsel?"
Sessions: "I don’t think so." pic.twitter.com/X1o71DWVNY

— CSPAN (@cspan) October 18, 2017

This happened today. Good lord man, just say, "Under the law, I cannot answer that question." Perhaps Texas AG Paxton could get the job since he has equal qualifications.

There's something crazy every single day with this Administration.

Above The Fold

Jerry Gets Confronted At Owners Meeting

Jerry meets protestors pic.twitter.com/jH0wgsuPb5

— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) October 17, 2017

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• The Ticket runs an ad where a company will give you six football gambling picks for $99. Is this real life?
• Want to feel old: Baby Jessica was rescued 30 years ago this week.
• Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Trump a "soulless coward." Simpleton national radio host Dennis Prager asked, "Does Popovich have a history of deep thinking?" Oh, I don't know. Graduated from the United States Air Force Academy. Has a degree in Soviet Studies. Fluent in Russian. Has military intelligence training. And considered one of the greatest basketball minds of all time with five NBA titles. 
• One of the greatest moments about Popovich was when I saw him coaching his team during a timeout in the fourth quarter of a game in the playoffs. He kept saying "Pound that rock! Pound that rock!" What he means is that if you hit the same rock over and over again, no matter how hard it is, at some point you'll find its weak spot and it will split. 
• I don't know who NBA player Gordon Hayward is but apparantly he had an ankle injury last night that was so bad that Twitter put up something I had never seen before: A "graphic warning".  I haven't watched it. There is no way I'm going to watch it. But here's a GIF show the reaction of the other bench when it happened. Yep, it had to be bad. 
• These Zeke court cases are bizarre. But it took the media about two hours yesterday to figure out the difference between a temporary injunction and permanent injunction. 
• The Toddler-In-Chief got mad yesterday, and you know its a bad day for him when he does it in the afternoon instead of the morning. If he didn't have Fox News, he would have no friends at all. 
  
• What an odd Bridgeport reference in a Rio Grande newspaper: 
  
• UNT issued an alert of a scam which should basically should have said: "Don't be a moron."
• The little kid in Richardson is still missing. Obviously, something is amiss. But it is unbelievable that radio folks like Mark Davis have called her dad a murderer and said he would "retract it" if he was wrong. Buddy, if you are wrong, you're bankrupt. 
• A Congresswoman says she was present when Trump finally called the widow of one of the four Green Berets killed in Niger and says Trump said, ""he knew what he signed up for ...." Trump denied it this morning and says he has proof. I'm very interested in seeing it. 
  
• Former Ranger Ron Washington from back in the day. Good lord.: 
  
• I glanced in on the Dodgers/Cubs game last night because Yu Darvish was pitching. (Remember I told you he would be traded to the Dodgers since I'm a Sports Genius?) Anyway, I hadn't even thought about the fact that he has to bat since he's in the National League. That's entertaining. (And he drew a heck of a bases loaded walk in that game.) 
• If you voted for Trump and have posted a #MeToo post, you need to check yourself.