Random Republican Painting

I studied this way too long. Edit: Jarhead tracked down the Democratic version.

More Info

Story. And the cover of the Messenger looks like this: Edit: Messenger story which includes a map.

It's Race Week In Texas

Wise County Constable car photoed in the wild. (Thanks emailer.) Edit: I was complete oblivious to the handicapped spot. As far as I know, he may have a handicapped sticker. I just thought it was a "sweet ride."

The Country's Gone Crazy

But, on a different note, your comments about Officer White on this blog have caught the attention of Fox 4 News. Edit: I've learned funeral services will be at the First Baptist Church in Decatur on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Having Bridgeport roots that are important to me, it simply wouldn't seem right to post the typical random girl photo and be flippant less than 24 hours after the tragedy.
• Sgt. Randy White was first Bridgeport PD officer ever killed in the line of duty.
• I knew Stephen York while growing up. Involved in touch football games with him off of Pleasant View Road, was in his house, was friends with his family. Those were very innocent times which now seem like a long, long time ago.
• Saw this on Facebook at 2:35 yesterday afternoon: "Cop chasing a white truck on Hale and then 287. Flew past me."
• I suspect we are about to see quite the moving funeral procession. As it should be.
• Talked to a fellow defense lawyer shortly after the news broke yesterday, and he was pretty upset. The local law enforcement/criminal justice system isn't like what you see on TV. There's a level of friendship, mutual respect and joking around between many cops, defense lawyers, and prosecutors.
• I was in Bridgeport in April of 1980 when my mom told me about the death of James "Poncho" Bennett, who was killed in the line of duty for Decatur PD during a traffic stop. (The guy that was convicted in the killing had stolen a firearm out of a home in Bridgeport shortly before the killing.)
• 29 years later, it was dad who first told me yesterday that something bad may have happened in Bridgeport.
• The capital murder charge is a little interesting. It seems that the investigators are saying initially is that York intended to cause the death of the officer. There's also indications that York made a statement immediately after the accident that was important - but they won't tell me what it was.
• There should be a dashcam from the officers who were in pursuit.
• Fox 4, whose video loads very fast, has it's 9:00 o'clock story up now.
• Sgt. Randy White had a five year old child.
• Ironically, I saw a patch of bluebonnets this morning.

Officer Randy White

Fox 4 News Coverage of Bridgeport Officer Fatality

I just caught part of their 6:00 o'clock coverage. Obviously, they'll have a complete story at 9:00. Their web coverage is here. Edit: Star-Telegram story now up. Edit: Channel 11 has a fast loading video.

Edit on Title: Confirmation Of Bridgeport Officer Killed In Car Chase

Looks like we may have a big wreck at 114 and 2123 in Bridgeport. Possible cop car involved (uncomfirmed.) The JP has been called to the scene. That's a bad sign. Picture from Google Streeview. Developing... (Thanks emailer.) EDIT: I have a report from someone I trust that a Bridgeport Officer has been killed. Edit: Confirmed on officer death. The man in the other vehicle, who was allegedly in the process of stealing a car, is a Bridgeport man and unharmed. Edit: Suspect has been named as Stephen York. Edit: Basic facts appear to be this. It began as a hit and run on 380 between Bridgeport and Decatur with York fleeing back to Decatur with DPS and Decatur PD in pursuit. York (and this part is a little sketchy) dumps the vehicle and jumps some fences and is able to steal a car. He then headed down 51 south and onto 114 and then back into Bridgeport. Once he got into Bridgeport, the officer had was "off to the side" of the road. I've had two or three reports that it looked like York "veered" into the officer. Edit: Fox 4 had a helicopter video on its 6:00 news. Lari Barager reporting. I'll try to upload it later this evening.

Hot Girl Saved From Certain Death

A fast thinking fan catches a home run seconds before it disfigures a hot girl. That, my friend, is a hero in my book. And to add to the drama, I think the guy that hit the home run also sang the 1980s' hit, "I Wear My Sunglasses At Night."

Texas Train vs. Ferrari Fun

Source. (A video should be showing above.) Edit: I think I may have deleted a comment that I thought was spam. It may have said that the guy in the video owns this place.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Another lawyer who has a blog (who actually blogs about legal stuff) receives a Wise County type of comment after he wrote about illegally excluding minorities from a jury panel.
• Fox 4 had a story about a donkey basketball game in a northern state. Really? Let me introduce you to Chico and Boyd.
• Lots of interesting comments below about the helicopter ambulance in Wise County. Such a service is critical in the metroplex but is it really needed often for a car wreck in Paradise?
• I don't think I've seen a single bluebonnet.
• Lots of drownings last week. Lots of high profile arrests yesterday: (1) in the murdered UNT linebacker drug deal gone bad case, (2) the 13 year old found dead in her bed in Arlington case, and (3) the horrific rape and set on fire case.
• Seems like rotten weather this Spring due to most hated climate issue: Wind.
• I always think the seasons should be capitalized, but I think I'm wrong about that.
• Every big time business guy in the old movies had a bar in his office. I've never seen an actual bar in an office.
• The Queen of England looks tiny next to the Obamas.
• The movie The Queen was great, and I would have never predicted I would like it.
• I wonder if NASCAR fans consider "Boogity. Boogity. Boogity. Let's go racin'" to be funny or a beat down? I vote beat down.
• Lots of video footage yesterday of the riots at the G-20 summit. Video footage of a riot is normally entertaining. My eyes are always dancing all over the screen to see who is doing what to whom. And if you can get a little blood on your face, you're guaranteed to make the telecast.
• "Prankster links sites in Collin County judge's name to gay website." Yeah, probably a bad prank, but it was a little tiresome that the judge decided to call the incident "the politics of personal destruction." That's the best ya got?
• I'd like to see the process of my dress shirts being laundered at the cleaners.
• The financial advise of "pay off your credit card debt first" seems to miss the point. I suspect most people with high credit card debt don't have the money to pay it off. That's why they ended up with high credit card bills in the first place.
• Jarhead had a post yesterday about watching a lady go nuts in the Quizno's line because onions were placed on her sandwich against her wishes. How do people like that lady make it through life?

Blog Stat Time: The Silliness Continues To Grow

Wreck In Paradise

Careflight (or whatever we call it) is in the background. (Thanks emailer John)

Three Things About Officer Powell (Who You Are Sick Of Hearing About)

1. Obviously, he resigned. 2. This source, say his old Xanga account (think Myspace) looked like this: 3. And The Ticket's Gordon Keith thinks he looks like a Christmas Story character:

Animal Farm

I basically hate April Fools. I'm on guard about everything which is a real beating for a guy who is skeptical about everything to begin with. But I thought I'd do something a little bit different for today and shall digress from scantily clad women and move onto animals. (Keep your jokes to yourself.) Above I give you the newly born Elke the baby leaf monkey. Frankly, I didn't know there were leaf monkeys. Spider monkeys, yes. Leaf monkeys, no. But this little fella is cute enough to melt Jarhead's hard and bitter Republican heart. In any event, Elke hereby becomes the Official Monkey of Liberally Lean. Which got me to thinking, I probably need to adopt some other animals as well. A couple were easy. First, spaghetti cat is obviously the official cat. That thing is just weird, which makes him perfect. A close runner up was the Wise County cat that got its head stuck in a food can. (Actually, that was a pretty tough choice.) And, although I'm not sure I ever posted him, the sleep-walking dog has to be my official dog. (The last few seconds turn a funny video into a triple funny video.) Pig? No question. This pot bellied pig that was placed on my office desk one day. (Thanks, Amberly.) Baby Chicks? No question. These little things that were also placed on my desk. (Stop it, Amberly.) But that is as far as I got.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Any headline involving "rape" or "set on fire" is not good. Combine them, and you have craziness.
• In light of the headline above, KLIF had a caller from Boyd this morning encouraging people to "move to the country." He then explained that he "can see people coming" from his house and his wife had pulled a shotgun on to "oil field guys" who forgot to announce their presence.
• In general, I never answer my front door. I've discovered that 95% of the time I didn't want to see who was on the other side.
• I dreamed I left my garage door open last night but that my broken mower was not stolen. I don't have a broken mower.
• The faces of most people seem stressed to me.
• I'm suspicious of people that constantly brag how wonderful their life is.
• The more I hear Mike Huckabee on the radio, the more I think he might be a simpleton. (Case in point this morning, "How many inmates in other places get a visit from Miss Universe?" after this story of her touring Gitmo was released. Really? Those guys held indefinitely got a "visit" from Ms. Universe?)
• I think I've got some new readers to Liberally Lean that don't understand what's going on here.
• Sat down at Quizno's with my paper at lunch yesterday only to have a guy sit down at the table next to me, facing me, and without a paper or anything to read. Drives me insane.
• There's some big restaurant going in on Western Center Boulevard, just to the east of I-35, but I can't tell what it is. Anyone?
• The huge commercial development at 287 and I-35 in North Fort Worth looks like it has been put on the back burner.
• I wonder if our local JPs ever read the arrest warrant affidavits before they authorize and arrest warrant.
• Before Fox 4 News last night, did I see the Ozzy Osbourne family soaking each other with some type of water guns on stage?
• Fox News is run by a bunch of curmudgeons while the Fox Network's entertainment section is run by a bunch of 12 year olds. Weird mix.
• Change I can believe in: Late yesterday, new Attorney General Eric Holder decided to drop all charges against convicted former Republican Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens because the prosecutors were a bunch of aggressive screw ups.
• I think women are becoming more flirtatious.

Love, Actually

That's an actual pic from the actual Britney Spears concert last night in Dallas taken by an actual reader of Liberally Lean. Coverage like no other. (Thanks, Nancy.) Below are actual pics taken of my television screen of actual people who attended the actual concert:

Small Pleasures

Baylor, somehow, is heading to the finals of the NIT (yeah, I know, the sparest of spare tournaments) by beating San Diego State tonight. But it's a little hard to believe. Take a look at how horribly the regular season ended only to have some type of divine intervention alter the team once post-season play began. Now if New York City, where the tournament is being played, doesn't corrupt those good Baptist boys before the final on Thursday night, we'll be alright.

Let's Bring Down The Lights

The worst magazine in the world, The Texas Bar Journal, hit my desk today but it did have this interesting Letter to the Editor in it. I've often wondered the same thing. When Saddam Hussein was found not to possess WMDs (stay with me here), a backup argument for the invasion of Iraq was that he "gassed thousands of his own people - the Kurds." And although the analogy is weak, didn't the American government kill thousands of its own people in order to prevent an uprising? An uprising that wouldn't have led to the overthrow of the U.S., but simply to the creation of another peaceful country to its south? Edit: My view on life is basically this: If an alien walked into the room and I had to explain things "we believe" to him on a clean slate, would it necessarily make sense.

I Totally Forgot

Britney Spears is in Big D today (and by "Big D" I mean Dallas and not Decatur) as she performs at the AAC. Let me tell you, I won't be the least bit surprised if I don't get a call while I'm sitting on the couch holding my Baylor pennant during the NIT game that says, "Mr. Green, please hold for Ms. Spears. It is in reference to meeting her after the show." Kids, I'll be lucky to make it back in time for Random Thoughts tomorrow. (This pic is the newest one of her on the celebrity web sites. Shorts + Heels = Hawt.)

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• The Senate has passed DWI Roadblock legislation (although, if passed by the House, it won't apply to Wise County because of our size.) They say there will be minimal inconvenience to drivers since officers will be subject to strict guidelines.
• Officer Robert Powell, who was subject to strict guidelines, minimally inconvenienced Robert Moats.
• The justification is, as always, "if it saves one life." Then why don't they require all drivers to wear helmets and fireproof suits?
• I must have awakened in Communist Russia. Is this Russia, Danny?
• There were reports of "baseball" size hail in the metroplex last night. But with everyone and their dog having a camera phone, there's not one single picture? (Although there was some pretty good size ones.)
• Fox 4 weatherman Dan Henry was acting a little like Pete "Run For Your Life" Delkus last night.
• I think you guys lost your sense of humor yesterday.
• Everyone is going Conficker crazy.
• Someone at the Sheriff's Office says the rescue at Lake Bridgeport over the weekend also included someone clinging to a boat "for a few hours." How was this not huge news?
• Of the three presumed drownings in the metroplex over the past week, I don't think they've found a single body yet.
• Good grief, I just heard on the radio that a guy is now missing in Lake Lavon as of Monday night.
• Another story that got little press: Crazy Mike Leach out at Texas Tech had one of his players study at a desk on the football field for an hour and half after practice. It was in the 30s with some snow flurries.
• WBAP's Mark Davis (who is sounding a little crazy himself lately) plans on getting a colonoscopy and will "tweet" about it. Certainly, the apocalypse is upon us.
• Some people are big chit-chatters. I'm not one of them.
• A man from Newark was arrested for DWI on a motorized bar stool. Unfortunately, it wasn't our Newark. Although it certainly could have been. Edit: Photo!
• I'm about a fifth of the way through A Confederacy of Dunces and I'm not sure what to think. There's some craziness in it.
• The government honoring GM car warranties, in case the company fails, does not give me comfort.
• Photo gallery of Tampa Bay Bucs cheerleader tryouts.

This Is Why I'm A Liberal

Face it, if you right wingers had your way, there wouldn't be a minority within 300 miles of the great State of Texas. And see what you would have missed if you had your way? The greatest Mexican invention in the history of ever: Jean Up. And I don't know who the guy is that did the actual design, but he has to the the Mexican Thomas Edison. Brilliant. Completely brilliant. So, for this brief moment, let's forget about our political differences that separate left from right, good from evil, and right from wrong, and raise your glass to our friends to the South. Mexico, we salute you!

Silly Story . . .

. . . great mugshot.

Things I Stop Down For

Alisandra Galvan's family plans to meet with lawmakers this week to talk about proposed amendments to a bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie. The proposals would require anyone who installs or maintains a septic system to have an insurance policy of at least $2 million. And they would require that safety violations, including missing or damaged covers, be reported to the state within 30 days. Let me get this straight. You don't watch your daughter and she drowns. And your regret is that there's not someone else that you can point the finger at who was required to have a big liability policy? Really? Story.

Exclusive Photo

. . . of my date at the Bridgeport Chamber Of Commerce Banquet held this weekend. (Very enlargeable.)

I Completely Missed This

And in an unrelated item, the Update also had a story about a guy who ended up on shore after his boat capsized on Lake Bridgeport. (And I saw yet another drowning in Dallas County.)

Dolly?

I guess they mean Dolly Parton, but it's odd that her last name isn't used. Edit: Maybe it's an impersonator. I don't know where Dolly Parton is playing these days, but I seriously doubt it's local country clubs. But that's her picture in the ad, it would seem. (Thanks emailer Scott.)

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• 

• Downtown Dallas always wants to be like downtown Fort Worth. That's kind of hard to pull off when people get shot while waiting for valet parking.
• Sports no-shows on Sunday: The Dallas Mavericks, the Oklahoma Sooners, and whoever that guy was that Tiger Woods chased down.
• I dropped by the new Eddie V's off 7th and University in Fort Worth on Friday night. Nice place.
• Mark Cuban got fined $25,000 for criticizing an official on Twitter. He did it just so he could get in the news for being fined for using Twitter.
• I looked up and saw a military fighter jet and what looked like an American Eagle plane get a little too close to each other yesterday. I thought about how I didn't have a camera.
• I know the guy who is missing from his sailboat on Lake Lewisville.
• There's also a body missing in Lake Grapevine. That would kind of make you hesitate before taking a boat out.
• Then again, taking a boat out in this wind is insane. And not any fun.
• And to think we all used to sit around the TV and watch Hee-Haw. Oh, my.
• I'm not going near the NASCAR race this weekend, but I always want there to be good weather for all the folks that do.
• "A Denton police officer was arrested Saturday morning after his boyfriend said the officer punched him in the face, a Denton County sheriff's spokesman said." They allow that in Denton? The gay thing, that is.
• I like our ADA Kevin Henry but I think he's losing it over this "good vs. evil" thing.
• I was watching some of Traffic over the weekend and thought I recognized some politicians in a party scene. Yep. Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid and Orrin Hatch.
• I'm sick of the Ryan Moats/Officer Powell story. Moats is supposed to be on Good Morning America this morning.

Crazy Talk

The Dallas Morning News allows comments on their stories. Some of the craziest stuff shows up there. These were posted on the story about the Dallas officer who didn't immediately release the guy going to the hospital to see his dying mother-in-law.

Remember Kids, Don't Gamble

The line on the game was Connecticut -5.5 over Missouri. That means, you can bet on either team but you must subtract 5.5 points from Connecticut's final score to determine if you won the bet. (I could soooo be a college professor.) So with Connecticut leading last night 82-75 with seven seconds remaining, Missouri will have one last meaningless possession. Unless you're a betting man. Which I'm not. Thankfully.

Slight Giggle

From the Star-Telegram web site this morning. The caption under the photo and the second headline on the right caught my attention.