Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Yesterday morning I made a bold weather prediction about rain on Friday night and within hours all Wise County schools moved their games to Thursday night. I've got more power (and more accuracy) than Delkus. 
• Odd conversation on The Ticket yesterday where the hosts said a guy should never have an umbrella at a kid's sporting event to block out the sun. I'd do it if I wanted to and wouldn't particularly care what anyone thought. 
• The mastermind behind 3D printable AR-15s weapons is wanted after meeting an underage girl, who misrepresented her age, at a hotel and paying her for sex. He is now on the run. Thoughts: (1) I'm not defending the guy, but for some crazy reason it is not a defense in Texas if a person actually believed the other person was not a minor. (2) It is odd that this wasn't a sting operation. She just later revealed the incident to a counselor. (3) They met on SugarDaddyMeet.com which might be the greatest name for a dating site ever. 
  
• Remember that big undercover drug bust of eighteen TCU students in 2012 mostly over small amounts of weed? That seems sillier now than it did then. And it was ridiculous then.
• Celina ISD, a 4A school, is going to build a $24.5 million football stadium. 
  
• This banner ad at the very top of The Dallas Morning News' home page is not helping newspapers fight the "Fake News" label. (I knew it was a scam, but I had to click on it to see. It's just an ad for male enhancement product. No reference to "charges", and I seriously doubt Costner is involved in the promotion of the product like they claim.) How can the Morning News in good conscience take money for that deceptive ad? 
  
• A long read in the Washington Post which is getting lots of buzz about a high school girl in Arlington who, over 10 years ago, couldn't get the Tarrant County DA's office to prosecute an alleged sexual assault at a party. I remember when that happened, and I think I backed the DA's office for not bringing charges on a case it could never win. 
  
• Have you seen the news footage of the trial of the former Mesquite officer who is on trial for Agg Assault for shooting a guy in the parking lot? The "victim" testified yesterday that he was in the parking lot because he was lost, had just smoked weed and done cocaine, and had his shirt off in 40 degree temperature. I doubt the officer had the right to detain him for just being in a parking lot, but the man did make a movement which caused the officer to be alarmed. Oh, by the way, the victim has a criminal history as long as your arm. If the officer gets convicted, things are really, really changing. 
• The Rangers had a home afternoon game yesterday. Those green seats aren't people.
  
• The iPhone was introduced in late June of 2007. Coincidence? (I'm serious.)
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• "Police say they’ll beef up their presence in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards this weekend after an ATF warning that the Mongols motorcycle gang is likely planning a rally there that could draws hundreds of members of the notoriously violent gang."
• Trump gave an interview to The Hill and it was as wheels off as ever: 
• Trump on W's decision to go into Iraq worse than Civil War: “To me it's the worst single mistake made in the history of our country. Civil war you can understand. Civil war, civil war. That’s different. For us to have gone into the Middle East, and that was just, that was a bad day for this country, I will tell you.” 
• He forgot that he had to win the election first: "If I did one mistake with Comey, I should have fired him before I got here. I should have fired him the day I won the primaries," Trump said. "I should have fired him right after the convention, say I don't want that guy."
• Marching orders from Fox News: He ordered the declassification of Russia-related documents in part because he has been asked "by so many people that I respect, please. The great Lou Dobbs, the great Sean Hannity, the wonderful great Jeanie Pirro."
• For the life of me, I've never understood hazing or the sorriness of those who cause it.
  
• Texas/OU will have an 11:00 a.m. kickoff.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• One of the Family Pups decided to eat the carpet. I feel good about myself for not committing first degree puppy homicide.
• When I heard this guy was going to be up at the third floor of the Wise County Courthouse several months back, I remember telling the prosecutors that I thought he was one of those "Proud Boys." He might be in trouble.
  
  
• Texas Superintendent news: The head of Irving ISD schools just up and quit yesterday, and (2) another school sup thought it would be a good idea to post on social media that "you can't count on a black quarterback."
• Texas Prosecutor Ineptedness: Prosecutors in Austin played the wrong 911 call in a trial and didn't realize it until the frantic 911 caller finally said her name. The judge was not pleased: “How in the world could you let this go this far and not recognize the differences [between the right and the wrong tape]?” he said. “Y’all don’t know enough about your case? … This is very disturbing.”
• It's been a while since I've listened to a Cowboys game on the radio, but I caught a bit of one on Sunday. It is pure Idiocracy. "And after Tavon Austin's first Home Depot touchdown, here comes Brett Maher on for the J.C. Penney extra point." (I've got the sponsors wrong, but otherwise that is dead on.) 
• Oh.
  
• Kavanaugh's alleged victim now wants an FBI investigation prior to her testifying before the committee on Monday. I don't know what is going to happen now, but it's only Wednesday.
• Longtime sports radio listeners in DFW will remember barber Leon Simon who was a frequent caller who got a gig as a co-host on KLIF. He has passed away. He was famous for down home witticisms like: "Just because you put boots in an oven doesn't make them biscuits." And when Michael Irvin showed up in a fur coat for his cocaine trial back in the day, Leon said, "If you are accused of stealing chickens you don’t show up at court with feathers coming out of your pockets.” 
• There was a Wise County deputy arrested yesterday which was briefly the worst kept secret in the county.  Everyone knew almost moments after it occurred. (I'm not sure what I think about him having his book in photo taken in his WCSO uniform.) 
• I'm not sure what theappeal.org is, but they took a shot at Tarrant County DA Sharen Wilson:
  
• “One of the wettest we’ve ever seen from the standpoint of water” - Trump yesterday on Hurricane Florence in a pre-recorded message.
  
• Courage:
  
• Her pig before it gets sifted at the stock show. (This will make about five of you laugh):
  
• I've been in the Liberally Lean First Warn Storm Tracking Lab™, and I'm predicting major rain early Friday evening until around noon Saturday. From the standpoint of water, it will be wet.
• Messenger: Above The Fold (when breaking deputy news breaks too late to make it.)

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Get ready for Anita Hill vs. Clarence Thomas 2.0. If you missed the first one, you'll get to see its next version on Monday when Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser appear before the judiciary committee. (And a lot can happen before next Monday.)
• I want to hear Mark Judge testify. He's the guy who is said to have been in the room during the alleged drunken assault and the author of this book: 
  
• LBJ would be working the phones calling every Senator to get his Supreme Court nominee confirmed. Trump does not have the inclination nor the influence to do the same. 
• A great quick read on what all went into UNT's  Double Fake (Not A Fair) Catch Play on Saturday, and the one guy who almost figured it out:
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• "Coca-Cola announced its interest in a statement on Monday . . .  to develop drinks infused with cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive chemical found in marijuana." This will be just the first step to develop THC drinks in those states which have legal marijuana. And it's probably a violation of fiduciary responsibility to the the stockholders not to consider going all in.
• I should have mentioned yesterday the incredible marathon feat that occurred over the weekend. A world record was set in the marathon where the guy averaged 4:38 per mile. Over 99% of the world's population couldn't run one mile in that time during their lifetimes.
  
• I watched a portion of the Emmy's last night and realized that I don't really watch any popular TV shows.
• Pretty funny pics out of the Star-Telegram. A photographer gets crushed on the sideline and captures the picture of it right before it happened.
  
  
  
  
  
• I hate Ezekiel Elliott's "Feed Me" motion.
• This new data from Texas  for misdemeanors is baffling to me.
  
• Shout out to a dentist in Fort Worth who I don't know, a Dr. Malone, who asked a patient once he found out she lived in Wise County, " What's up with that guy that has that blog?" He has an office near Hulen Boulevard.
• Cows in Southlake -- yes, Southlake -- this morning. Video.
  
• Do not search for a tidbit from Stormy Daniel's new book which was revealed this morning. And if Trump issues a tweet to refute it, my head will explode.
  
• "Rice University officials announced Tuesday they will provide full tuition scholarships to undergraduate domestic students from low- and middle-income backgrounds starting in the fall of 2019 . . . . [The new program] will allow full-tuition scholarships and grants to be offered to undergraduate students whose family incomes fall between $65,000 and $130,000 a year and who qualify for need-based financial aid, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the university." This seems like a big deal. (And I'll say it: Is $65,000 to $130,000 is low to middle income?)
• I didn't expect to have a 7:00 a.m. conversation this morning in a parking lot with the Wise County Democratic Chair but I did. 

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• This is beyond bizarre: A FEMA "Presidential Alert" test will be sent to your cell phone on Thursday at 1:18 p.m. CST.  
• Bryson, west of Jacksboro, had a tough time Friday night: "BRYSON – Strawn is the defending Class A Division II champions and looked the part Friday in a 72-7 shellacking of Bryson. The game was called at halftime for the 45-point mercy rule."
• The Coast Guard removed this member (in red circle) after flashing a White Power symbol on MSNBC last week. If you watch the video, there is no question it is intentional.
  
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• I don't know anything about this mega-church in Grand Prairie but the fact that a former pastor can win $4 million from it in a lawsuit doesn't exactly seem what Jesus had intended. 
• A Harvey joke by Red Raider fans (which probably didn't go over well):
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• And Trump wants the border patrol to protect us against MS-13. Who knew we needed protection from the border patrol instead?
  
• And lord knows I'm no journalist, but I don't have any problem with the AP referring to the women as prostitutes. They backed off of that even though they believe the assertion to be accurate. If he was targeting prostitutes, that's relevant to the story. 
  
• For local media fans only: WFAA has blocked TV Critic Ed Bark on Twitter. Some in local media are the biggest babies. 
• TCU lost to Ohio State, 40-28, but they looked so good I don't who would win between OU and TCU right now.  (And I'm always amazed by the Vegas Line. Ohio State was a 12.5 point favorite.) This week it is TCU vs. Texas and TCU is a 3 point favorite which seems too low.
• I'd be remiss in not celebrating UNT's win over the Root Hogs without reflecting back to the the great 1970s "Flying Worm" helmet.
  
• Legal but very shady: 
  

• The woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of groping her came forward and identified herself over the weekend. (The nomination may now actually be in trouble.) She also named an accomplice: Mark Judge. Someone found his high school year book, and he seems like a real charmer. 
  
• The details don't matter, but the Dallas Morning News endorsed someone named Williams for a state district judgeship after saying this about her: 
  
• Texas! And, Snowflake (yep, that's the cat's name) was stabbed 12 times.
  
  
• "The US State Department issued a new travel warning for Mexico on Wednesday night after authorities found eight dead bodies in the popular resort town Cancun within the span of a few days." This isn't going to help tourism. 
• Soon coming to Arlington. But, man, that name and graphic.
  
• I had no idea the comic's mother sang, "Lovin' You" -- that crazy 1970s hit which has her hitting a note that no one else can hit. 

• Happy Constitution Day (to what's left of it.)
• Every time I hear the name of the victim Botham Jean (pronounced JON), the victim in the Mistaken Apartment case in Dallas, I hear "Elton John."
• Messenger: Above The Fold.

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

 What you picture when you go to get a cat.

 This is what you get.

 I would have done this all day as a kid. Heck, I'd do it all day right now.

 Nope. Nope. Nope.

 Bits are fun.

 It's a Liberally Lean blog metaphor. (Me pictured on right. Trumpsters on left.)

Exclusive footage from Whispering Wheels in  Decatur.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• It's been a wild week. A Fort Worth police officer was shot in the head last night after a robbery attempt at a "sports bar" on Biddison off of I-35. He is in critical condition.
  
• Let me says this with 100% conviction: I don't care. (And, man, Fox 4 News got crushed for this Twitter post seen below. Nice job posting it on the day of his funeral, by the way.) Fox 4 ran with the story live at 6:03 p.m., Steve Eagar anchoring, even though the tweet had well over 3,000 angry replies at that point. (The number has since increased to 32,000 as of this morning.)

                                       

• Some people wrote that the cops "leaked" the fact there was marijuana in the apartment. It was no leak at all. It was contained in a document which is a public record. 
• Here's a response from the son of the Dallas Mayor:
  
• A reader emailed me to point out I was wrong about the arrest warrant affidavit in the above case. I said yesterday it was not the Texas Ranger's recitation of the facts, it was only the Ranger reciting what the off duty cop had told him. Nope. It wasn't written that way. The Ranger wrote it as if it was his belief of what the facts were. Why? I don't know.
• Can we have a report on the Uniform Instability in this pic, too?
  
  
• In Bexar Country (San Antonio), there have been 19 deputies arrested this year.
• Nike stock closed at $83.47 yesterday -- an all time high.
• Either the Russian bot invasion is still alive and well or the Cruz campaign has taken a lesson from their playbook:
  
  
• Wait. Someone found more: 
  
• Uh, they thought Willie was a Right Winger?
  
• The most depressing cover series you'll see if you're a teacher (and maybe even if you're not.)
  
• In a very bizarre case, the Tarrant County D.A.'s office lost a sexual assault trial yesterday. The prosecutor's blamed the jury. The office spokesman blamed the judge. It didn't help that the alleged victim, a psychiatric patient, "began rambling [during cross-examination] about being awoken in the hospital by the voice of the angel Gabriel and being used as a tool by God for 'work for the United States of America'.”
• I recorded Tucker Carlson last night as soon as I learned Stormy Daniel's lawyer was going to be on. Fox News went with this shocking graphic from the get go, and the segment didn't disappoint. The lawyer eventually asked Carlson, "How do you have a show if you're this ignorant?" and asked Carlson if he watched porn. Watch it.

                                             

• Is it to early to say Hurricane Florence was a dud? BagOfNothing linked to this live cam off of Cape Fear yesterday. (Cool name. Cool movie.) I just checked it. It is an absolutely beautiful morning. Edit: A faithful reader has already pointed out that the camera may have failed and something else, although beautiful, is being broadcast.