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- Rick Perry might take a hit on the pending execution of Duane Buck. In a nutshell, after convicting someone of capital murder in Texas, the jury is asked after the punishment phase whether the defendant will be a future danger to society. They must say "yes" in order for the death penalty to be imposed. In Buck's case, an "expert" witness testified that blacks, once released from prison, are more likely to be dangerous in the future than whites. With his execution scheduled for last night, the issue was whether he deserves a new punishment trial because of that testimony. Rick Perry refused to stop last night's execution. But the Supreme Court, at the last moment, did.
- It would almost be sweet justice if Rick Perry's callous and self-serving support of the death penalty over the years prevents him, at the last moment, from obtaining his ultimate political prize.
- But one shocking thing you probably haven't heard: The expert witness was called to the stand by Buck's lawyers because the witness ultimately concluded that, specifically, Buck would not be a future danger to society. (Court opinion.)
- The Update says today that TXI is cutting 33 jobs in Wise County. Someone mentioned those cuts in the comments here on Monday but I forgot to follow up on it.
- I was watching a girls' softball game last night when 10 Year Old Coach Pitch turned into 10 Year Old Hits A Rocket Into Coach's Chest. Man, it stopped everybody down.
- The Regents of the University of Oklahoma will meet on Monday, and the official agenda released yesterday lists athletic conference alignment as something they will consider. That may be the end of the Big 12, but we'll have to wait until they get to page 219 of the agenda before they can discuss it. What a beating.
- Fox 4 News led last night with the Pat Robertson's divorce-Alzheimers-spouse controversy. I changed the channel because that was absolute proof it was a slow news day.
- West Virginia fans, being a classy bunch, have started wearing T-shirts to football games that prominently display an F Bomb. The Athletic Director wrote a letter to the student body urging them to stop but readily admitted the school couldn't stop them. Why can't WVU stop them? West Virginia is a public school and thereby the government. Baylor could stop it. SMU could. So could TCU. But not Texas, Tech, or the Aggies.
- Even if she wants to knock Rick Perry over the head with his ill-fated decision to mandate the HPV vaccine for young girls, Michelle Bachman is nuts to claim a woman told her that the vaccine caused mental retardation in the woman's daughter. Even if it is true that some woman did tell her that, you don't repeat the story on national TV unless you believe it.
- It may be up being Mitt Romney after all.
- Texas Monthly referred to the Texas Longhorns as the Evil Empire last night. And I heard some big college football expert say the same thing on either the Ticket or the Fan this week. I'm a trend setter once again.
