Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Hey, it's one year until 12/21/12 and the end of the world!
• A Texas jury has awarded $150,000,000,000 in a personal injury case. Never mind that the defendant didn't show up for trial, is in prison, and the judgment will never be collected. But the lawyer is already bragging about the verdict on his web site. 
• I have to go to the in-laws tonight. 
• I mentioned George "Machine Gun" Kelly being buried in Wise County, but I had forgotten about a kidnapping case where his victim was held in Paradise and led to a federal trial with national media coverage.
• This is unusual: An American soldier commits suicide so eight of his fellow soldiers are charged in connection with the death for teasing him. We've come a long way from the invasion of Normandy.
• Interlochen got voted down.
• The Family Unit has instituted a "no dirty dishes will ever be left in the sink" policy. Day five, and it's still working. (But check with me when 2012 rolls around.)
• I didn't realize that only one NFL game will be played on Sunday. All the other ones are scheduled for Saturday. 
• I was in a metroplex subway this week and noticed a bunch of irritating teenage boys loudly eating at a nearby table. It was only minutes until one of the chairs tipped over backwards and one of the kids goes sprawling because they were screwing around. As much as they were yuking it up, that kid took a pretty good blow to the head. I was almost concerned about him. 
• For those who know or have heard of Williamson County DA John Bradley, you might be surprised to know he shoots me a very kind email about once a year. And I've never met him. Edit: To the non-posted commenter -- yeah, I know all that has gone all year. But with all the bad press, I thought it was noteworthy that he takes the time to be, at least to me, a nice guy. 
• The Tarrant County DA's office hired a Star-Telegram reporter a couple of months ago as its press representative. Since then, that office is a PR machine with the Star-Telegram pretty much reprinting its press releases. 
• News of the Newark settlement in the Update reminded me of the 2008 story of Ralph Hardy that was eventually featured on Fox 4 News.
• Bud Kennedy will be on WBAP's Mark Davis show this morning to discuss the chances of Craig James winning a U.S. Senate seat.  Hey, Bud, remind him of that appearance James made earlier this year on Davis' show when he just got roasted.