1.23.2023

Random Monday Morning Thoughts




Before there was the CRT hysteria, there was CSCOPE. According to the Texas Tribune, it was in the "crosshairs of conservative grassroots activists" who believed believe the plan promoted a "progressive pro-Islamic curriculum." The legislature would kill it later in 2013 led by Dan Patrick who was then only a state rep. 

  • Another mass shooting in America. Although this one happened in a "dance hall", it was actually a place frequented by the age 50 and up crowd. Asian square dancing is apparently popular in that community.  The gunman, who later killed himself, was 72.



    • And I betcha didn't even hear about this one which happened a couple of hours later. But no deaths there.

  • I'm stunned they didn't release the names. "Among those arrested were a volunteer firefighter, youth pastor, a high school teacher and football coach, and the director of operations for a large hospital network in North Texas."

  • Just teens opening fire on one another at a Whataburger near a high school on a Friday afternoon in Fort Worth. A 17 year old Paschal High School junior is dead. 

  • The state charges on the guy who drove from the metroplex to El Paso, in order to engage in the mass killing of  Hispanics, are in disarray because the DA out there quit her job, but the Feds are pressing ahead. They now have a guilty plea coming according to a Saturday court filing. No details yet on what exact charge he is pleading to or what the range of punishment is. 

  • This seems very wrong in Clay County. 

  • I saw this headline, and didn't think much of it. Then I looked the pics of the actual work-sheets, and even I'm stunned. 

  • Now say or do something about Uvalde. Texas legislators sometimes are a little tone-deaf. 

     

  • It was a big anniversary yesterday. LBJ and abortion. (One of the oddest pieces a memorabilia I have is a pecan taken from LBJ's ranch on the day of his funeral there. One of my dad's employees picked it up  and brought it back for me when I was a boy.)

  • Random fun fact: You can call 719-266-2837 and hear a Hall and Oates song. I can't remember where I learned that.
  • There was a time about a handful of years ago when this seemed unthinkable: Betting at an NFL stadium on the game. It's at the Washington Commander's home. 

  • Very random Cowboy notes:
    • Dak is a slightly above average quarterback who will have below average games. And that's worth $40 million a year in the NFL. That's just the going rate. 
    • Oh, my.

    • Dalton Shultz seems a little dumb and/or lazy.

    • Underrated play.

    • I'm not sure what was more embarrassing, the last play (video) or the decision to punt with two minutes left. Other options didn't have a lot of hope, but at least you could say you tried.
    • A reminder that Brock Purdy once threw the worst interception in Big 12 history. Video.
    • Here's a link to the perspective of the cameraman getting the stiff arm in the photo below.
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at 8:31 AM

1.20.2023

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

at 2:30 PM

Random Friday Morning Thoughts




That was a post an individual post I made that that day, but I have no idea where I got that photo.

  • I've ranted about the new phenomenon about traffic accidents being turned into crimes by prosecutors, but this is taking accident prosecution and ramping it up to a whole 'nother level. This is dumb. Incredibly dumb. 

    • He'll never be convicted. He shouldn't be convicted. 
    • You know how I know the DA doesn't know what she is doing? Well, she made the following statement during the press announcement about the charges: "Just because it’s an accident doesn’t mean that it’s not criminal.”  Words have meaning. Especially here. If it were truly an in reality an "accident" then it is not a crime. "Accident", by definition, means there was no reckless or other wrongful conduct. Heck, the jury will probably be instructed in writing that that is the law.  No prosecutor worth a dime would ever utter that phrase.

    • Legal nerdy stuff: Everyone, including the DA, has been talking about "recklessness" being the manslaughter standard -- and that's true almost everywhere, including Texas, which goes to the trouble of even defining it. But check out the actual Involuntary Manslaughter statute in New Mexico. Anyone think it gives you fair notice of what conduct is and is not against the law? "Without due caution and circumspection." That's one tricked up law.

  • I was curious about the status of this case.  The shooter, who was questioned and released on the day of the incident, is from Milwaukee of all places and is 25 years old. And I finally saw who the deceased was: 21 year old Gerrod Dorn.

  • The Supreme Court announced in a report that they were not able to identify the leaker of the Dobbs opinion by a "preponderance of the evidence." That is, they couldn't say someone was even probably the leaker.  Noteworthy, is that the report fails to state that the individual justices were asked directly if they were guilty.


  • Amber alert this morning. The three should be conspicuous. "Law enforcement officials said that they believe the girls were abducted and are looking for Jame Burns, 60, [who] is described as 5'2" tall and about 230 lbs."  Edit: That's the grandmother. 

  • A serial liar wants us to trust him.

  • Heck of a headline about a local mayor.

  • Random amphibian. A 5.8 pound toad was discovered yesterday in Australia.


  • Leaning into it this morning.

  • 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: 3 years, 199 days.
  • Messenger: Above the Fold



at 8:32 AM

1.19.2023

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts




Just six months later, he would plead guilty to a plea bargain of life in prison without parole. The only thing he avoided was the potential death penalty.  Oh, and this was his Facebook masthead at the time of his arrest. 


  • All of the lies of George Santos probably aren't enough for the GOP to kick him out of Congress, but you would think that basically killing a veterans' dog would do it. And if not that, performing in drag shows in itself should be the kiss of death under the current version of the Republican Party.

  • The Google searches of the guy accused of killing his wife in the high-profile Massachusetts case are not good.

     

  • Oh, my. One neighbor in Allen bumped a neighbor at a pretty good clip and put her on her keister. Quick video here. 

  • I didn't believe the wording of the headline about that crazy icy crash in February 2021 around Northside Drive on southbound I-35 in Fort Worth . . .

    • . . . so I had to pull up the actual pdf report referenced in the story. It presented a graph of "average speeds" in "one minute intervals." So if only one car passes during the one minute interval, that car will single-handedly own the "average speed." It looks like for a period of two consecutive minutes right after 6:00 a.m. the average speed in one of the lanes was 103. If I had to guess, I would bet it was two cars in the fast lane, moments apart, each running 103, but with both being clocked in two separate "one minute intervals." But it can't be a single car. Otherwise, the chart shows the average speeds in the 75 mph zone were pretty normal.

  • A portion of the First Baptist Church in Stephenville collapsed while some repair work was being done. A couple of workers were injured.


  • The City of Godley has shut down due to the staff at city hall quitting. I thought it was a pretty good size town, but it only has about 1,400 people.  

  • Channel 8 is actually trying to convince you this morning that these two hosts "just happened" to wear the same outfit by accident. Don't buy it. It's a poor viral video attempt.  Video.

  • Unfortunate CBS11 tweet putting the wrong photo with the story. They deleted it almost immediately. 

  • Checking in on Fox News announcing the abrupt resignation of New Zealand's prime minister last night: “Some rare good news. The appalling Prime Minister of New Zealand Jakinda [sic] Ardern, the lady with big teeth who tormented her citizens, has just announced she is leaving office." Video.

  • That's 5% of its work force. Seems significant. 

  • Luka pulled up at the AAC in this. Really.  I may be the only guy which is kind of put off by the guy.




  • TCU did, in fact, hire Art Briles' son as offensive coordinator. 

at 8:31 AM
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