And Another (The Other Kind)

What? Two teachers? Two separate "victims"? Uh, no = Oh, my. (Thanks to Michael and Kevin who for some crazy reason thought I'd be interested in this.)

The Britney Spears Watch Is Back

She's started a concert tour which makes me very happy. Me loves me some Britney. Wait..........What?

And Another

But this time it does sound like he was acting like an idiot. Edit: Wow, another one in Dallas.

I Keep Raving . . .

. . . about NPR's This American Life and its programs on the financial crisis. Lifehacker.com, one of the greatest sites on the Internets, plugs the program today as well. It's a long weekend, give it a shot.

One Of The Many Single Women Who Want To Marry Me . .

. . . just uploaded this pic of her modeling 5 carat, $178,000 Diamond which will be auctioned by the U.S. Marshal's office in Arlington. (Another case of the government seizing property.)

Remember kids . . .

. . . you can gamble all your money in that 401K or mutual fund, but don't you dare try to fun with it. Story (which also notes that your government seized $24,000 that didn't otherwise belong to it.)

Delayed and Tired Thoughts

• I'm driving down 287 this morning and I see something on the shoulder in front of me. It's moving and getting close, and I finally make out that it's a tire (rim included) that is moving incredibly fast in my direction. As it moves from the shoulder into the right lane, the same lane that I'm in, I wisely decide to move to my left. I avoid it, look in my rearview mirror, and notice that it is crossing the median and heading across the opposite lane causing traffic to come to a stop. I glance to my left and see an SUV in the opposite lane at a complete standstill and missing a tire.
• And I was half asleep.
• Rare opinion issued today from the Fort Worth Court of Appeal upholding our own Judge Cude's ruling that a local trooper did not have a a basis to arrest a person for DWI.
• I'm not particularly pleased with the pic above, either.
• Watched a little of Lost last night. Quantum physics would be easier to understand.
• My wheels are off today.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• I never oversleep
• Except for today
• I'm late to be in Jacksboro
• I promise I'll update this around noon
• The Wise County Singles Club will meet at the vacant K-Bob's at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Cancel Those Vacation Plans

Look like we had a small fire at the Eighter From Decatur Apartment Complex.

Thursday Afternoon Pick Me Up

Yep, this is the "pink bikini girl" some have been asking about. Oh, my. Credit: Wayland

Jim Cramer's Mad Money = Fail

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CNBC Gives Financial Advice

Daily Show Full Episodes Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor Joke of the Day

Saw this over at BagOfNothing.com and, I agree, it really picks up at about the 3 minute mark. I think it's great.

I've Got A Bad Feeling About This

It may bounce back, but CitiGroup just fell below a dollar a share.

The Man Is At Decatur High School

Got a report that there are an unusual number of Decatur Police Officers "roaming the halls" at Decatur High School. What does it mean? I have no idea.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• A web site that should be great but is horrible: Fort Worth Weekly.
• I find Bill Maher to be hateful and not particularly funny.
• Some comments have asked me why I haven't posted the "pink bikini girl pic" that was sent to me. Uh, what pink bikini girl?
• The white blooms on trees that I thought wouldn't happen this year will probably occur after all. I predict Saturday will be the peak day to see them.
• This American Life has done it again: Want to understand how Citigroup or Bank of America's financial statement got out of whack in a simple and understandable way? This week's podcast explains. (I love that stuff.)
• If the major banks do fail (and they are far from out of the woods), the government will take them over on a Friday afternoon so that they can have the weekend to get organized.
• I truly don't know if people are basically good or basically bad.
• After representing hundreds of "alleged criminals" over the years, it's the habitual thief that has the worst personality. Those charged with drugs can be very secretive and reserved. And DWI folks are the most normal.
• Worst imaginable Texas legislature party invitees: Jane Nelson, Florence Shapiro, and Phil King.
• Heard a lawyer two days ago refer to representing people going through a divorce as having to "deal with two people when they are at their worst."
• Double Fake Financial Expert Jim Cramer became the subject of the daily presidential press briefing on Tuesday. How is that possible?
• Do people really "hang around the water cooler?"
• I'm still miffed about the guy that told me I couldn't take pictures at the Gun Show. And I've yet to have anyone verify that is a rule.
• Craziest KXAS website headline yesterday: "Texas: Happy Birthday. Now Die."
• T.O. is gone,and we now will rely upon former Evil Empire receiver Roy Williams. Anybody comfortable with that?
• One of my favorite movie moments was over 10 years ago when I went to see "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate" in a theater where there was a predominately African American crowd. I had never seen a movie crowd respond so vocally to what they saw on the screen. It was great.
• I attended it with a girlfriend whom I loved and hated.
• The best cops are those that understand they aren't there to change the world.
• Just heard about a two separate motorcycle accidents on the WBAP traffic report.

It's Over?

The number of drilling rigs working in the big North Texas natural gas field has fallen by more than half, from a peak of 214 in October to 97 as of Friday. And XTO executives suggest that could fall to as low as 90 in coming months.

That means fewer wells, and nowhere is that more true than at Devon Energy, which announced that it expects exploration and production spending in 2009 to be less than half what it spent in 2008. Devon had resisted cutting back its Barnett Shale activity, but it now says it will drill something over 200 wells this year, or only about a third of the more than 600 it drilled in 2008.

Story.

Any news from the front lines out there?

More Country Grammar

ai Thanks emailer Bobby. ("It's been up at least two weeks and no one has noticed.")

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• "Is anyone out there who really believes they are going to get one of them stimulus checks." - Gov. Rick Perry acting country (as heard on NPR this morning.)
• I'm halfway through 1776. I went into it with a little hesitation but it's absolutely great. I'm currently up to August of that year and, although I don't want to sound pessimistic, it looks like the British are going to win that war.
• When I was growing up, it seemed schools were more interested in teaching Texas history than American history.
• Funny exchange yesterday:

Prosecutor: "Those better not be the facts [of this criminal case] --- that would really offend me." Defense lawyer beside me (laughing): "We certainly couldn't have that happen." Me (smiling): "Yeah, we sure couldn't." Prosecutor: "Watch it, Green." Me: "Hey, he said it first. Why are you jumping on me?"

• I'm not sure what happened on The Bachelor since I never watch it, but it's got everybody riled up.
• It's "spring forward" weekend. Ugh.
• You never hear anyone refer to the joys of raising a teenager or referring to a teenage as "a blessing."
• I had a bull rider's wife once tell me that I she thought I could have been a bull rider. (Not making that up.)
• Fox 4 had a story of six TWU students being arrested for hazing. The allegations were "some slapping" and releasing an odor that "made some of the girls sick." We are arresting people for that?
• You would think Time and Newsweek would survive. There's just so much information out there that it's nice to have it wrapped up nicely in a weekly package.
• I've got a pimple that won't go away. I'm this close to taking a needle to it. Developing . . . .
• They've been stringing an ugly electrical line across 287 just south of Decatur for days.
• Half Marathon thought: Every lady watching the race from her high tone home was also holding a little dog wrapped in a blanket.
• Jon Stewart on The Daily Show a couple of nights ago: "Just over three years ago, the Republicans controlled the Presidency and both houses of Congress. Today....they control 1/4 of The View."
• Fascinating new Supreme Court case heard yesterday: A jury rules against a guy to the tune of $50 million. He then spends $3 million on the campaign of a guy running for judge on the only appellate court. New judge wins. The court hears the appeal of the $50 million case and votes to overturn it 3-2 with new judge in the majority. You can read about it in the aptly named article, Cash Bar.

Funny Picture > Tragic Murder?

Two People Arrested For Talking

Link. Edit: Fox 4 News, which appreciates a good hooker story as much as the next guy, has pictures.

The Headline, The Picture, And The Speculative Comment

Story in today's Dallas Morning News.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Is the TAKS test offered in a Spanish version?
• I caught Tonya Harding on Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel over the weekend. What a bitter, bitter woman.
• Of the four guys lost as sea, did you see the rescue of one of them who hand by clinging to the boat for two days and two nights? I cannot imagine.
• Just when did Halloween become so sexualized?
• Tony Romo got harassed by the paparazzi in Los Angeles over the weekend. He soooo needs to prove something before he goes all Hollywood on us.
• Do you get to date in Heaven?
• I love Gmail.
• Were women obsessed with their fingernails and toenails 20 years ago?
• You would have thought the Montage County Jail would be reopened by now.
• Doesn't a job with the government seem like a safe alternative right now?
• Had the strangest experience in court yesterday. An out of town lawyer who is known for some unusual conduct shows up in court during a docket call. One of my clients' name is called and we go stand behind before the judge. I glance back and find the aforementioned attorney standing right behind my client - barely a foot away - facing the judge. We all kind of look at each other. I make my announcement to the judge and the other lawyer turns and walks out of the courtroom. What the heck was that about?
• The Mavericks lost to Oklahoma City last night? Time to blow up the team - this era is over.
• During Joel Osteen's televised sermons, he advertises a book that his wife authored at the same time via a graphic. Makes me shake my head.
• I always wake up 10 to 15 minutes before my alarm goes off. I then reposition myself to easily reach the snooze button and then fall back asleep.
• The Plane Landing on The Hudson even has been recreated with the traffic control audio overlayed on it. It's really great. Man, that happened fast.

Oh, The Irony

"Far too many of your youth are leading super-sized, sedentary lifestyles which put their lives in danger," Nelson said in a statement. "Unless we take action, an entire generation of Texans will live shorter lives than their parents."

I'm A Nielsen Family!

Well, maybe. They sent me a questionnaire of 13, uh, questions which basically concern the demographics of my household. It kind of sounds like they'll be screening me for the possibility of being An Influential TV Ratings Person. But you see those two dollars? They were included in the envelope as a "thank you" for taking the time to fill out the survey. I love that. One dollar would be an insult. But two? Now we're talking. (Honestly, it does kind of guilt you in to responding.)

Montague County Scandal News

The Messenger has put up a couple of pictures of recently indicted individuals turning themselves in at the Wise County Jail today. (They couldn't do it in Montague County because the jail is STILL shut down.)

New England Patriots Cheerleader Tryouts

Hello, Mrs. Green #9. Source. Uh, some more pictures of what you would expect to see at such an event are here.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Watched the documentary "Standard Operating Procedure" which looked at the Abu Ghraid prison scandal. It was pretty interesting with many of those involved explaining how those famous photos came to be.
• But people have to trick up the "Lynndie England pose."
• The Megan Henderson on Fox 4 was great on Friday, especially the last twenty minutes. I've got it TIVO'd and will put it up on youtube if I can motivated to do it.
• Think this AP writer has a certain viewpoint about the old south?: "BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –A potent March snowstorm blanketed much of Alabama with up to 4 inches of snow Sunday, covering Civil War statues and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of church services."
• On July 7th of last year, I ghoulishly predicted Paul Harvey's death within six months. I was close. (An emailer reminded me of this)
• Two NFL players went missing at see sea over the weekend. I rarely look at NFL.com but thought I would check it out regarding the story. All day yesterday there was not a single mention of the incident.
• I like the Palladia channel.
• I saw on the news this morning that it's almost a blizzard in D.C. Found a live webcam of it if you want to check it out.
• Serious question: I was watching the lead singer of The Fray last night play the piano like nobody's business. Can any one do that with enough practice? Or is it a gift that few people possess?
• Secret video of me at the Sissies playoff game.
• I heard the Star-Telegram is raising it's daily rate to $1.00 an issue
• For the second year in a row, those trees that have those beautiful white blooms fired off the blooms too quickly (due to unseasonably warm weather) only to have the return of cold weather knock them back.

Allow Myself To Call Attention To Myself

Rush Limbaugh. Sean Hannity. Ann Coulter. They simply spit out shock value to gain attention. And here, sadly, I'm suckered into giving them that attention. From Coulter's most recent column where she discusses our President's most recent address to the nation:

After claiming that the disastrous stimulus bill would create or save 3.5 million jobs -- "more than 90 percent" in the private sector -- Obama then enumerated a long list of exclusively government jobs that would be "saved." He was suspiciously verbose about saving the jobs of public schoolteachers. Because nothing says "economic stimulus" better than saving the jobs of lethargic incompetents who kick off at 2 p.m. every day and get summers off. Actually, that's not fair: Some teachers spend long hours after school having sex with their students.

Joe Duty Takes Sissie Pictures

Yes, he did.

The Government Is Here To Protect Us Against A 15 Year Old Girl

Background. "I'm not going to comment on the video. The video is there for people to see and make their own judgments." Sheesh. My judgment is that the Sheriff should be removed is he won't step up to the plate and call that act reprehensible. (Thanks, emailer Paul.)