It's 5:52 A.M.

Ugh.

Edit: Success. Time was 2:02:20 (which included stopping three times to tie my shoe - sheesh - and one bathroom stop - double sheesh.) Last year was 2:03:03.

Early Voting Numbers Through Thursday

I guess you can explain the huge Democrat turnout over Republicans in the GOP strongholds of Denton, Tarrant and Collin counties because of the contested Hillary v. Barack race. But in all of those conservative counties, the local races are all decided in the Republican primary which would be of equal incentive for Republicans to turn out. That's what's happening in Wise County, for example, where there is more early voting from Republicans than Democrats.

My . . . .

. . . myspace page.

And Now A Word From Our Drug Czar

From today's Morning News:

"What you are choosing to do when you consume these dead-end drugs, particularly marijuana, is you're choosing to buy the guns that kill people not just along the border, but throughout Mexico, guns that kill law enforcement authorities, civilians and threaten fundamental Mexican institutions," Mr. Walters added. "It seems not too much to ask these consumers who are making these people powerful, 'Is that something you're OK with?' "

Hey, hoss, are you "OK" with backing a stupid U.S. policy that makes marijuana use illegal thereby causing $8.6 billion (your number) to go to "ruthless Mexican kingpins" (your words)?

I Am An Island

The Star Telegram is on it.

(Thanks emailer)

Edit: I can't wait to find out how much King has spent on those WBAP ads because I hear them a krillion times a day. But one (two?) sentences in it has me confused. It says either:
(1) "A former police officer, he's stood up against illegal immigration."
(2) "A former police officer. He's stood up against illegal immigration."
Did he fight illegal immigration as a cop? Or as a state rep?

Horrible

Occurred on the Houston Street Viaduct - a roadway I jog over every Thanksgiving morning for the Turkey Trot.

From The Update

What happened to the days when a rabbit was just cute and furry and didn't have to be all tricked up with the latest and coolest tattoos? Nothing disgusts me more than to see a rabbit with one of those "ying and yang" tattoos on its lower back right above that cottonball tail. That, my friends, is the tell-tale sign of a promiscuous rabbit. And you know those rabbits are going to regret it when they get older.

Friday Morning Pick Me Up

Abigail Clancy loves her some Wise County. (Uh, the pick might enlarge if you click on it. Maybe a lot.)

Barack Visits The Evil Empire

And practices giving Hillary "The Heisman."

And Another (Sheesh, My Crinimal Justice System Is Getting Clogged Up.)

Facts: It was sex with a kid 17 or under on three separate occasions.

Seduction Method: Used poems (????) and bought him a cell phone.

Her age: 38

Verdict: Oh, my. I knew I had a breaking point and it is time to draw the proverbial line. We need to send a message to all teachers our there (other than those in their 20s who are remotely hot as well as select 30 year olds) that we will not tolerate the abuse of our male children (even though it causes said children to run out and buy a smoking jacket and cool sunglasses.) So.........We, the jury of me, sentence you to 30 days in the hoosegow. No probation. Trustee status granted. Credit three days for one.

Next case.

(Thanks emailer.)

I Don't Watch American Idol

But I always like it when pictures of American Idol contestants surface on the Internets.

The Post Gen-Xers

A column today in the Dallas Morning News is getting lots of attention. It seems that new hires that were born after 1981, although not bad people, are crappy workers. Some companies now simply won't hire kids straight out of college:

"They've been overparented, overindulged and overprotected," she says. "They haven't experienced that much failure, frustration, pain. We were so obsessed with protecting and promoting their self-esteem that they crumble like cookies when they discover the world doesn't revolve around them. They get into the real world and they're shocked."

Full article here. That's an interesting concept. All those kids that were given four foot trophies just for showing up to play organized soccer are now becoming adults. How will they cope?

And A Jab. And Another. Left Hook. King Staggers.

I just got an email telling me to send my electric bill to Phil King. I don't know what I think about this. Yeah, it's kinda cheesy and I'm not going to do it, but it did get my attention.

But I also noticed that Tison is spending $12,000 on a political consultant (excerpt above from campaign finance filings found online). I presume it's the consultant's idea.

Edit: An emailer says that KXAS (Channel 5 News) will do an "expose" on King today at 4, 5, and 6:00 p.m.

Road To No Where

If this meeting takes place, there is no reason why Mayor Lambert, Mayor Majka, or Commissioner Rankin not tell us exactly what was discussed.

White Rapping Kids

This is the duo No Parking. He is "Bus Stop". She is "City Limit" (No joke.) And they are singing about the Detroit Lions making it to next year's Super Bowl. This makes me sad that I never had kids.

Ya Know,

. . . the sad part is, in this day and time, I have some doubts as to whether this is really true. Yeah, it probably is. But I wouldn't put it past the U.S. to lie to other nations about our defense skills in order to "protect us." Because everything is fair game so long as it can be justified in protecting the U.S. from evil-doers. Right?

Edit: Well, the U.S. did film it (albeit with a Sony Handycam from Walmart) but I don't know why this video didn't make it to the morning news shows.

Edit: Ok, call me a nut. But I could have led off with Obama being the Anti-Christ.

Wednesday Pick Me Up

This guy is named Scott Murray but I'm pretty sure it's not the retired KXAS sportscaster. Anyway, I'm not posting it for the carnage, I'm posting it for the (1) crowd reaction and (2) the pyrotechnic guy that doesn't know how NOT to push the button.

And Another

Basic facts: She's 32, a teacher, and had sex with a student on his 18th birthday off campus.

The Verdict: Puullheeeeze. Can I sign the "not guilty" form without having to leave the jury box? And this happened in Arkansas! How could this possibly be illegal in Arkansas? (And the fact that she looks exactly like a friend of mine has nothing to do with the verdict.)

Edit: Better pic.


Next case.

(Thanks emailer)

Political Sorriness

Yeah, crappy picture, but here's my point. For weeks, I've seen County Attorney Candidate Thomas Aaberg's sign out on Washburn Street - it's got his mug on it so it's hard to miss. Today I drive by and some guy named Charles Stafford (who is running for State Senator against Craig Estes), has posted his sign so that it blocks Thomas' picture. I'm sure he doesn't have anything against Thomas, he just wanted his sign more predominately displayed.

That's some sorriness. Vote against Charles Stafford. He hates freedom.

(And, so that no one gets mad at me, the other county attorney candidates are Marilyn Belew and James Stainton.)

Edir: At 3:39 p.m., a loyally reader advises that he has moved the obstructing sign. Power to the people.

Edit: Ok, stop with the comments for the race for County Attorney on other posts. I posted one for James, posted one for Thomas, and I'm sure I'm about to get one for Marilyn. That's it. Stop it. And I'm not posting any negative comments because I have to work with these guys. It's a double standard that moral code allows.

Random Basketball Notes

- Did anyone hear me scream last night as Baylor was ahead of Oklahoma by three points with only seven seconds left, only to watch (1) OU make a three point shot AND GET FOULED and make the free throw to go up by one, and (2) Have Baylor get fouled with ONE second left, shooting two (one to tie, two to win), and miss BOTH OF THEM (photo above)? 92-91. Kill me.

Edit Watch the two missed field goals (and celebrate my pain) here on youtube.

- And, the NBA is going to play an outdoor game in October

The Official Ice Skater Of The Blog

Any gal that skates in leather hot pants and fishnet stockings has got to be a great ice skater. (Miki Ando of Japan.)

Number Crunching

From the Update: "EARLY VOTING - Yesterday was the first day to cast ballots early for the March 4 primaries, and voting was heavy. According to Elections Administrator Lannie Noble, 230 votes were cast, including 127 in the Republican Primary and 103 in the Democratic Primary." I think that's probably a good estimate of the actual Republican/Democrat breakdown in Wise County: Republican: 55.3%% Democrat: 44,7% Edit: Holy crap! Can these numbers be right for Tarrant County's early voting? Total votes:10,439 Democrats: 7,396 Republican: 3,043 ------------------- And I also saw that Embarq is hosting a reception for Phil King. On the very same week that my office switches over to Embarq, they stab me in the back. I bet they are even going to take my firm's first month Internet payment and endorse it over to him as a campaign contribution.

Sheesh

A Dallas cop is under investigation for improperly using deadly force. Here's the story from today's DMN.

On the night of Sept. 22, Cpl. Dominguez was working with other vice officers investigating complaints of prostitution around Ferguson Road and Woodmeadow Parkway in Far East Dallas. About 9:15 p.m., several men flagged down the undercover officer at a Texaco gas station. One asked, "What you lookin' for?" according to a police report. Cpl. Dominguez said he was looking for a girl to date. The man replied that he knew some girls. He led Cpl. Dominguez to the 11400 block of Woodmeadow Parkway where the man tried to call a girl with Cpl. Dominguez's phone, police said.

The man then told Cpl. Dominguez that "they needed to go to a different location down the street," a police report said.

Cpl. Dominguez drove the man into a dark, deserted back parking lot of an apartment complex in the same area. The man exited Cpl. Dominguez's truck and walked in front of it as he talked on Cpl. Dominguez's cellphone.

Another man "suddenly opened the passenger door, reached across the seat, turned off the ignition and removed the keys," a police report said.

The rest is here.

It's just so stupid for cops to be put in that position to fight prostitution (which, even under our Draconian Penal Code, is only a Class B misdemeanor - right above a traffic ticket.)

"There's No Arguing In Here. It's the War Room!"

The U.S. shooting down one of our crippled spy satellites, which may happen as early as today, is simply cool.

But our government tells us they are doing it because it fears the toxic fuel that it is carrying could harm the public.

Yeah. Right. It's a spy satellite.

New One To Ponder

Do Bush appointed male federal judges that have to resign after getting arrested for DUI while wearing a little black dress and fishnet stockings generally "make law" or "interpret the law"?

Girl, Uh, Cops, Uh . . . Everyone Gone Wild

And Another

Facts:

Meet then 23 year old and married Allenna Williams Ward who used to be a middle school teacher. She's was accused of "having sexual encounters with five teenage boys. Authorities said [she] met 14- and 15-year-old boys at the school where she taught as well as at a motel, a park and behind a restaurant." (Actually, she's now convicted of said offense.)

Blog Punishment Phase:

Sheesh, Allenna, this is the most liberal blog jury you're ever going to find and you've got me in a real bind here. Five boys? Five? And even "behind a restaurant?" This is the type of stuff that you'd read about in Penthouse Forum if I had ever seen a copy of Penthouse Forum. In most places you'd be sentenced to the pen quicker than Tom Robinson in Maycomb, Alabama*.

But I'm torn. First, you're kinda cute which is almost automatically a probated sentence. Secondly, you probably have some sex addiction which means this really wasn't your fault. I need to know a little bit about your mom and dad before I could pass judgment. But since I don't know that, I'm deadlocked with myself. I'm sending a note to the judge as we speak. Mistrial.

Next case.
---------------------
Footnotes
* Lee, Harper, To Kill A Mockingbird (HarperCollins 1960)


(Thanks emailer Kevin.)

Rep. Phil King is running a ton of ads on WBAP with one of the taglines being, "Phil King is passionate about public education."

Uh, so passionate that he home schools his kids.

Tuesday Morning Pick Me Up

Random TV Observations

The Dallas DA sure did hype the discovery of the meaningless JFK Assassination documents yesterday. Not sure a press conference was necessary. Not sure he needed to act like he had found the magic bullet.


Note to dad who I saw on The Today Show this morning; If your family is going to appear on national TV for the only time in your life, you might want to ditch the cap and college shirt.

Good Work If You Can Get It

I really don't care much about the Jason Kidd trade back to Dallas but I love this nugget: Part of the deal, because of crazy NBA salary cap rules, will include the Mavericks coaxing Keith Van Horn out of retirement, signing him to a $4 million deal, and then trading him to the NJ Nets. The Nets don't want him to play, they just need the contract to help them do more trades down the way. (I really don't understand it.) But most people think that Van Horn will be with the Nets for only one month, never play, and then walk away with $4 million. Good times.

(OK, and I wanted to post this pic of Jason Kidd.)

(And, on an unrelated note, if you like crowd photos, Where's Waldo, and have a weird sense of humor, you'll love this.)

Meet John McCain: Comedian

For some reason I was cruising by CSPAN last night and saw McCain speaking from last Tuesday while in Wisconsin. After thanking former Gov. Tommy Thompson, McCain makes the most awkward and unfunny joke about governors which leaves the crowd, and especially him, flopping around. Then he follows it up with a lawyer joke which wasn't particularly funny 20 years ago. [Insert crickets chirping.] You, sir, are no Barack Obama.

Just A Random Email That Went Out Today To An Office Building In Dallas

Monday, 2/18 A large tenant has received a bomb threat — they are evacuating. Police are involved. If you choose to evacuate, Use elevators to evacuate and gather in AMC parking lot. The bomb will go off at 10:00 according to caller.

If you choose? (Source.)

Hypothetically . . .

. . . I just called one of my hypothetical DWI clients and got his "wait tone" of music which was none other than Merl Haggard's "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink."

Hypothetically, of course.

Fake?

From last week's Houston Rockets game. It just had a little WWF/WWE feel to it.

Books Via IPod

I think I'm getting hooked on modern day books on tape. Since Christmas, I've "read"

Into Thin Air - Great.
Into The Wild - Very good but I'm beginning to agree with those that said this guy was made into a hero when he really wasn't really heroic at all.
Invisible Monsters - From the guy that wrote Fight Club. A really weird book that solidifies my inclination to stick with non-fiction
Her Last Death - Written by an adult daughter about her very wheels off (and still living) mother. I'm not really sure why I should care.

And, to show how well-rounded I am, I'm currently reading State of Emergency by Pat Buchanan. It's a call to arms about illegal immigration. One of the first passages suggested that in the next 50 years the Southwest United States will really be just part of Mexico for all practical purposes. I'm paraphrasing, "The Mexicans will take back the land they had lost through war by the only way they can: by illegal immigration and a change of our very culture."

How I Spent My Weekend

Do not click here. Trust me. You do not want to see that. Really.

Edit: On a very unrelated note, I saw on The Today Show that Lindsay Lohan has recreated a semi-nude photo-shoot of Marilyn Monroe in New York magazine. And even though pics have already leaked onto the Internet, my Liberally Lean Manual of Good Taste indicates that I can't link to them. Than manual has some very weird standards.

666

Looking at the Update this morning, I noticed (1) a fire where six dogs were displaced, (2) another fire six miles south of Boyd, and (3) a six car wreck in Alvord. I'm just saying.

Kurt Cobain's Daughter

Time seems to be moving faster.