7.31.2023

Random Monday Morning Thoughts




Ten years ago we had a drought, too. It's a little hard to see the caption, but 
that's a photo from Lake Bridgeport on the front page back then.

  • Decatur made it to Jeopardy on Friday. But the answer gave rise to a horrible response from one of the contestants. Video.

  • Those two guys, who are for some reason have not been named, lost some good gigs. (I was surprised to learn that Southlake has 65 full time officers.

  • Sure, it's summer, but come on!

  • Anyone else a little nervous about drones bombing Moscow? I mean, if you are worried about "escalation." Drudge is certainly worked up about it. 


  • There's not a civilian in America who wouldn't be criminally prosecuted for this. 

  • The new judge takes the place of Judge Jack McGaughey who for some reason resigned mid-term.  I don't know anything about the new judge, and I'm not sure she's held any office of any type before. This judicial district covers Montague, Archer and Clay Counties.

  • Wise County will have its bi-annual Texas House rep election next year year:
    • This billboard has gone up against the incumbent. This is just weird. Paxton is corrupt and the movement to impeach him was led by the normal Republicans in the Texas legislature. The only ones unhappy about it are the ultra-MAGA extremists.

    • Stucky's opponent has bragged about raising $52,000 in "grassroots donations." But I notice, according to campaign finance filings, that his largest expense is paying himself back for a loan. Nothing illegal or unethical about this, just noteworthy. 
      • Summary.

      • Loan payback itemization.

  • It's been a while since I looked at the database of state employee salaries from the Texas Tribune. I was surprised to see the $300,000 man hasn't had a raise in the last year. Maybe the new budget hasn't kicked in yet. 

  • On the campaign trail
    • Another awkward video of DeSantis showed up. They guy just seems to hate people in general. (Watch the walk away.)

    • I actually found RSBN on the Internet on Saturday in order to watch their pre-rally coverage of Trump speaking in Pennsylvania. Let me tell you, it's wild. It's a full on Trump Campaign Channel. The "reporters" will actually say things like, "Isn't Trump great!" (One got in some hot water.)

    • New New York Times poll this morning. Incredible.  

  • Kind of legal nerdy stuff:
    • #1: If you want to see how AI if frighteningly good, look at these examples. I didn't even understand the questions.
    • #2: The judge might have made a big mistake in denying it. 

    • #3: The Star-Telegram just published this story. I don't have any trouble with the sentence (5 years probation with 90 days as a condition on the State Jail Felony of Criminally Negligent Homicide.) It was an accidental shooting through a dorm room wall. 

  • University of North Texas: Apogee Stadium will be renamed to Denton-Area Teachers Credit Union Stadium. 

at 8:30 AM

7.28.2023

It's Friday -- Let's Get Out of Here

at 2:30 PM

Random Friday Morning Thoughts




This led to a lawsuit (Cause no. CV13-08-682) which was settled, but I don't have the details. 

  • The indictment in Miami against Trump was amended yesterday to add new charges. And all eyes on D.C. to see if an indictment will come down because of January 6th and all that led up to it. 




  • This is amazing way to start of an address to a "prayer breakfast" by a congresswoman from South Carolina.  Video. (It's a cringey as you think.)

  • The Texas Senate gears up for the impeachment trial of Ken Paxton.
     

  • This got a rebuke from both Senators Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer



  • A wreck in Garland shut down I-30 yesterday and, while that's not big news, I couldn't get over the number of trucks on the road. 


  • Tesla workers in Austin got a very specific warning this morning that turned out to be a false alarm. 

  • On the heels of Mitch McConnell freezing mid-sentence, comes Sen. Dianne Feinstein being told what to say. (She clearly was in favor of the bill, she just didn't understand that it was just time to vote instead of stating her reasons why she supported it.) Video.  
     
  • A crazy story with few answers so far. 


  • Colorado officially joined the Big 12 yesterday and the conference fired off quite the press release. And that's a little bit of a shot at exiting UT. (Now rumors all circulating about Oregon joining the Big 12 or Big 10 right now which would be a major coup.)

  • Flashback: The time Jerry Jones kicked off a tee in training camp. (1999.)

  • Very legal nerdy stuff for criminal practitioners: Yesterday the Austin Court of Appeals reversed a DWI conviction for failing to submit a necessity defense instruction -- there was evidence the defendant was fleeing an abusive boyfriend that night. 
  • Time which has passed since the Wise County Sheriff's Office, despite having a full male DNA profile, has failed to solve the murder of Lauren Whitener in her home at Lake Bridgeport: 4 years and days.


at 8:32 AM

7.27.2023

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts






The time Leo DiCaprio was photo'd wearing a Texas Tech cap.

  • A man has been arrested for the murder of a Fort Worth lawyer, Kimberly Knapp, who was found dead in a home in Saginaw. Police were called on a Monday after a report of a "self-inflicted" gunshot wound, but the investigation would instead lead to the arrest warrant yesterday. Here is a profile of her from a couple of years ago. 

  • On Tuesday police in Cedar Hill, after pursing a man on an Aggravated Assault charge, fired at the suspect who appears to have shot at them first. Police released the video of the shooting yesterday. There were a lot of shots fired. And he didn't die. 


  • If you haven't seen the video of Mitch McConnel having some type of medical episode yesterday which caused him to freeze mid-sentence, here you go. I can't stand the guy, but I hope he's OK. (He returned to speak briefly with reporters about 15 minutes later which is pretty surprising.)

  • Hunter Biden's guilty plea got derailed by a federal judge yesterday.  This is just a hiccup because of a little bit of limelight seeking judge, but it will get done. 
    • However, one of the reasons she didn't take the plea was because she wasn't sure one of the the statute he was charged with, lying on a gun purchase form, was constitutional.  Based upon gun laws being gutted across the nation because of the Bruen decision, she is probably right. 

  • Sinead O'Connor has died at 56.  I remember when she tore up the picture of the Pope on SNL. I was more confused than anything else, but it turn out she was probably just ahead of her time. 


  • Channel 8 had a story of a Bridgeport kid who wanted, and got, a fence around the playground area at Bridgeport Intermediate School.  This is a nice story, but I'm not real sure how it made it all the way to DFW media.

  • Legal stuff: Last week we had an appellate court in Waco release an opinion denying an appeal because the brief filed by the defendant's lawyer was believed to be not only horrible but also, the court speculated, was written by Chat GPT. I'm surprised more hasn't been made out of this. 

  • Legal nerdy weird stuff: I have no idea what's going on in this appellate case  which was dismissed yesterday other than Mr. Baby Shark was representing himself. 

  • Colorado is coming back to the Big 12! Probably.

     

  • College GameDay announced they will be at the North Carolina-South Carolina game on September 2nd for their season debut and that Lee Corso will be there. This is elder abuse. Corso, 87, missed five editions of College GameDay last year due to various illness. And when he was there, he was often confused and had to be bailed out by co-hosts. I have no idea why they are doing this. 

  • GDP news this morning. The economy just continues to roll. 

  • Messenger: Above the Fold

at 8:31 AM
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