Even I'll Post An NFL Clip When It's A Christmas Miracle

The Family Cat On Christmas Eve

"Time to take a nap. I gots a tree to destroy tonight."

Taking You Into The Weekend

I Think I've Found The Long Lost Sibling Of The Family Cat

It's not hard to guess which one it is.  And don't love the cat's reaction after the damage is done. Does he make a break for it? Nope. Just sits there and admires his handiwork.

LeAnn Rimes Celebrating Christmas Not Like Us

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• A senior Aggie football player was killed yesterday in a traffic accident. Earlier in the day, Joey Villavisencio and other teammates had handed out gifts to families in need at Twin City Mission in Bryan. He then headed home for Christmas.
• That made me tear up just to type it. 
• We had to have the Family Christmas early this year and it was last night.  I'm now not as against that concept as I thought I would be. 
• I looked at the iPod section in a Best Buy yesterday. If the store had been looted in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, there would have been more stuff still on the shelves. 
• Someone commented yesterday that I had a double standard for being critical of the Palo Pinto Sheriff for killing the 21 year old but I hadn't said a word about President Obama authorizing the killing of a U.S. citizen in Yemen in October as part of the War On Terror. Oh, but I did (and got criticized by someone suggesting I was defending a "towel head".)
• Not to say I don't have double standards. I do. 
• I was in a car last weekend with someone who used OnStar to find a fast food restaurant. Those OnStar operators have to have a 100% "always be professional no matter what the question is" policy. 
• There's no way I would have done that. 
• Bush The First endorsed Mitt Romney yesterday. I think that entire Bush family cannot stand the Perry clan. 
• First Baptist Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress is one the cover of D Magazine this month and that's one great cover. (The first pic is the one they went with.) 
• I've got to go to the jail today to visit a couple of people. They need a little encouragement at this time of year. 
• Things I don't understand from this week: (1)The mass of people who showed up at Dallas City Hall to see Khloe Kardashian, (2)  and the "thousands" who lined up in the metroplex last night to buy $195 Air Jordans.
• A handful of potential NFL first round picks are deciding whether to enter the draft or return to college for their senior year. At that age, I would have gone pro in a New York minute if faced with that decision. However, knowing what I know now, I would absolutely return for my Senior year. (And I bet Vince Young would agree with me.)
• WBAP's Hal Jay said this morning that USC's Matt Barkley, who said yesterday he was returning to USC for his final year despite being projected as a top five pick, had made a "stupid decision" and was "getting bad advice." Think I was banging the dash with my fist at that point?
• The sound of nothing is more Christmassee than the sound of Christsmas songs.
• There is no Update today.  But there are Random Thoughts. And to think they won their own contest for "Best Wise County Blog" when I'm the hardest working man in show business. I may go Occupy the sidewalk outside their office. 

Messenger Above The Fold (Early Edition)

Made Me Smile

I filed a Motion for Continuance in a driver's license hearing case and honestly admitted that the reason for the motion was that I wanted to instead go to the Alamo Bowl and, being a Baylor fan, there's not a lot of chances to go to bowl games. I just received the judge's order.

Unrelated, I came across this. Not my cat. But I want that snowman.

Edit: As to the UT judge showing compassion, a faithful reader sent me this pic which just "went up about a mile north of the UT campus."  Heck, he may revoke the Order if he sees that!!

Random Pet Thought

If I had seen this video before we got the Family Cat, there would not be a Family Cat.

This thing has more personality that most people I know.

(Belated) Messenger Above The Fold

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• TCU won last night in the Poinsettia Bowl but the game recorded its smallest crowd in its seven year history: 24,607. I don't blame anyone for that. If it is not a BCS bowl, the game better be in driving distance.
• The placement of the traffic signal by the Sheriff's office on 380 is dumb. Any traffic signal erected on a highway is there because people in the past is due to a driver not being  patient at a stop sign on an adjoining road. (In Paradise and at Tater Junction restaurant on 114; Pleasant View road on 380.) 
• "If you don't learn from the past, it could come back to bite you." - WBAP's Steve Lamb this morning. (Dumbing down a famous saying.)
• Sounds like they are backing off the "White Christmas" forecast.  But I've noticed that the National Weather Service is beginning to act like Pete Delkus in its early alarmist forecasts. 
• Man, I've got to say this about the comments in the Palo Pinto Sheriff post below: If you hold the the belief that it is fine for your government to kill a citizen simply because he is committing a crime, you are 100% nuts.
• Baylor cheerleader gallery.Kind of disappointing. 
• I've always liked December 23rd and 24th more than Christmas Day.
• Magazine opinion: Over the past two years, Time has become immeasurable better than Newsweek. (And I actually subscribe to both.)
• Legal folks: Do you think this question posted on a Texas criminal defense lawyer message board made me slap my forehead?: "Has anyone had success in suppressing the results of a mandatory blood draw? Do you have a motion you could share?"  (For the non-legal folks, that's kind of like asking, "Does anyone have a good generic closing argument to get a not guilty verdict? Could you share it?")
• I'm always the first to get up in my quiet house in the mornings, and I could have sworn I heard the faint sounds of "Silent Night" this morning coming from a clock radio. I stopped and looked at the Christmas tree for a moment. Nice moment.
• Then I saw a Christmas ball on the other side of living room -- presumably due to The Family Cat who does not acknowledge the concept of a silent night. 
• WBAP question of the day: "If the world did end one year from today, how would you spend that year?" That's not a novel question, but it occurred to me that no matter what you did you would have in the back of your mind:  "This will all end soon."
• At least sixty dead in Iraq this morning due to 14 bombs detonating. That has to be just the beginning. He may be a good man, but that invasion and mess that was left behind in Iraq will be George W. Bush's legacy.
• Remember how I said the Tarrant County DA's office new press relations gal (former Star-Telegram employee) was a genius hire? She tweeted this morning: "DA's office warns of door-to-door scams. See Star-Telegram article today: http://bit.ly/w0FFSB"  Any bets on whether she basically wrote the article for the newspaper?
• If I were forced to place a bet in Vegas right now on the winner of the next presidential election, I'd take Obama. And, if they were honest, I think most Republicans would make the same bet.
• I listened to a podcast yesterday that explained that Christmas in America as we know it basically started in the 1820s. Regardless of the subject, we are all guilty of believing that "now" represents how "it" has always been. 

That's A Slight Tantrum By The Weatherman . . .

. . . but we get to see former Fox 4 morning gal Megan Henderson!

(Thanks, Keith).

Breaking: "I'd dreaming of a [subject I'm too scared to mention because I don't want to jinx it]"

If the National Weather Service doesn't have a twenty page Power Point presentation to the Wise County Sheriff's Office tomorrow morning, heads will roll!!!!

Meet Kevin

Did This Man Have To Die?

2

21 year old Keith Thompson

The Gunman & Sheriff

Unarmed, but fleeing from police in a stolen automobile last Sunday, Keith Thompson was shot and killed by the Sheriff of Palo Pinto County, Ira Mercer,  north of Santo on FM 4.  Justified? Or do they have an expedited justice system to the west of us which includes capital punishment at he hands of a one person jury for offenses that normally would just get you locked up for a little bit.

Shootings by police are quickly excused all the time, but things are heating up out there.  It sounds like the local DA will have the grand jury review the case, but (get this) the Sheriff served as the DA Investigator prior to becoming Sheriff in 2005.  A different DA is in office now, but he's asking for trouble if he doesn't bring someone else in.

Star-Telegram story.
Mineral Wells story (with comments)

Edit: Hey, I didn't give an opinion one way or another. I don't know enough of the facts. If the kid is driving at the Sheriff, no problem.  If the Sheriff killed him just to end the chase as the kid was driving away, big problem.

Remember That Goofy Knox City Guy?

Now he's taking on President Obama and his war on Christmas. Or, chrithmath. Not sure.

Remember Those DPS Gun Boats?

I bet I know where they got the money. Look below to see how much the evil big federal government has handed law enforcement in We-Love-State's-Rights-Texas in 2011 alone. And if you read the description of those grants, you just know that money is being wasted left and right. Here's an interactive map where you can see what each state's law enforcement has received since 2002. Texas has received $2.2 billion.

Boom!

In slow motion it looks like a WWE wrestling move.

And for complete news coverage like no other, here's her family photo:

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. 

Shut Down Christmas!!! I've Found The True Meaning!!!

Lady gets her Christmas lights stolen so she fires back with a sign full of Christmas spirit. (By the way, I had that exact same message on my Christmas cards last year. Huge crowd pleaser.)

But I'm kind of confused about the "stereotype" line.  I didn't see any mention of race or ethnicity in the story so I guess she means that it's true that thieves possesses the stereotype of a thief. Can't argue with that logic. I'm guessing she's an FBI profiler during the day.

Now if they'll own revise the Charlie Brown Christmas Special to have Linus read that sign at the end. There wouldn't be a dry eye in the country. Peace on Earth. Good will towards men.

This Is The Guy The Rangers Just Paid* $50 Million For The Right To Negotiate With?

Yep. It's like an Asian C.J. Wilson.  (Source.)

And he's got a smokin' hot wife. Sheesh. Let's sign him. This has potential.

_______
*If the Rangers don't sign him, they don't have to pay the $50 million,

I'm Probably Wrong

Yesterday around 6:00, after the storm had blown through, I could have sworn I saw a couple of those little "waves" in the west around Bridgeport.  With the sun setting, it almost look more like two huge smoke flumes.  For a second I wondered what was on fire.  Maybe it was the same thing that happened last Friday in Alabama.

This Has Been Bugging Me Since Yesterday

I heard someone mention that this version of the song was the "greatest ever" and almost all of the reviews on youtube say the same thing.  I had never even heard this one before, and the first minute had me a little underwhelmed.  Then it kind of sucked me in.

Thought I'd do something different and throw it out to the masses since it's Christmas season.

(Admission: I had no idea Al Hirt ever sang -- just thought he was a trumpeter.)

Edit: Other versions . . .
Jessica Simpson and Nich Lachey
Norah Jones and Willie Nelson
Lady Antebellum
Britney Spears & Barry Green
Bing Crosby and Doris Day
Dean Martin

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• What a weird deal at the Denton Airport this morning: A man if found wandering on the grounds, dazed and confused he tells of a plane crash maybe a mile away, and hours later the Cessna is found. Inside, one is dead and one is alive. No names yet.
• I can't say I've been to Northside in many, many years, but in looking over a slideshow of the Pat Green concert at Billy Bob's, I had this question: Are the days of the cowboy hat gone? 
• We had a very belated Family Photo Session last night. No one died despite the Family Unit's insistence that the Family Cat be in some of the photos. 
• Man, was that an overrated storm prediction for yesterday afternoon? How long did that line of storms last? Five minutes?
• The Messenger continues to blast the jury for the probation verdict in the case last week where the guy allegedly touched the teenager for only a second or two. That's really surprising considering the authors have seen enough trials to know exactly why that punishment was handed down.
• The Rangers have won the bidding war (over $50 million) for simply the right to try and sign some pitcher from Japan. They say it could take at least another $50 million to get him under contract. So why didn't they just sign Cliff Lee last year (who went to the Phillies for $120 million)?
• Not a single Democrat filed for office in Wise County by the end of yesterday's deadline. I think the same thing happened two years ago, so that that means that now every office in the County has defaulted to Republican without a fight.  Considering President Obama won't have a Democratic opponent, how lonely will our Democratic voting precincts be during the April primary? 
• Ticket fans only: I'm a huge Gordon Keith fan but the way he has kicked around special co-host Mike Doocy the last two mornings just isn't funny.
• Bob Vela Vila must read this blog based upon how I was blasted for calling a breaker box a fuse box yesterday. (Uh, and it tripped again last night when the electric garage door was opened. I switched up the cords after that.)
• To see the lights go out at Candlestick Park (or whatever) in San Francisco last night during the 49ers/Steelers game was bizarre. And I many have missed it, but the announcers had to have made a "When the lights go down in the city" reference.  Edit: Here's the blimp video of the transformer blowing. Cool. 
• On Sunday night in his annual "Thank God For Kids Address", Channel 8's Dale Hansen revealed he was the victim of attempted sexual abuse at age 10. I wonder how many people watch his show because no one really talked about it until this morning.
• And I like Hansen, but he sure does some dramatic things in those Christmas "sign the screen" monologues. He's talked about his failed marriage, his estranged relationship with his kids, and now this. 
• The girl from the Crazy Couple, Courtney Stodden, has released some Christmas photos that Santa will not be pleased with. (You're on your own.)
• My nemesis and former Channel 5 reporter Kim Fischer fell for the "Jon Bon Jovi" is dead rumor yesterday  (which seems to pop up every month.)  By the way, she's working for an ABC affiliate in Utah now.  
• You've guys have me torn on Interlochen. 

I Questioned Why They Called It A Murder!!!

More.  (My initial questioning was here.)

Edit: This is kind of weird. The Dallas Morning News seems to be soft peddling this story. The paper says the Medical Examiner's report has  been made public but when they contacted the cops today, they said, "This remains an on-going investigation by the Police Department. There is no further information at this time." But back at the first part of November, Fox 4 had a story which said Lightfoot's "official cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the fire, according to the medical examiner." (But the cops believed the fire had been intentionally set.) So the ME report now says "accidental?" Did it say that last month when the police had access to it? What has changed?

And I'll continue my rant against the "cause of death" being listed by a Medical Examiners in general. Figuring how she died is certainly in the area of expertise. Saying whether this case was an "accident" or a "homicide" is something they cannot possibly know. What about her body would show that the car was intentionally set on fire vs. accidentally catching on fire?

Edit: Now the DMN reports (in the same link above) that the dead girl had a blood alcohol concentration almost three times the legal limit. That still doesn't conclusively establish an accidental fire instead of an intentional fire. (Although that was always my guess.)

That van looks . . .

more suspicious than the one the guy used in "Silence of the Lambs".

Monday Afternoon Pick Me Up

You celebrate Christmas week in Wise County in a (predicted) thunderstorm, while Venezuelan models spend it at South Beach. Try to get Santa fix that.

Edit: And in a completely unrelated (but ironic) story, a former Miss Venezuela has died of breast cancer at the age of 28.

Random Stolen Sports Thought

How certain Dallas Cowboy quarterbacks have fared in their first 75 starts.

(Despite those numbers, Aikman had already won two Super Bowls by that point.)

NWS Sent Another One Of Those Fancy Powerpoint Presentations To Sheriff's Office

And we all know what happened on December 29, 2006. (Hint: I have no idea.)

Want To Know What Wise County Would Look Like If I Ever Shut Down This Blog?

Here's a sneak preview.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

Edit: I was accused of the Random Girl being a repeat.  Just in case . . .

• Kim Jong Il is dead and all I can think about is Team America: World Police.
• The Fantasy Football league up at the courthouse (which includes the DA, CA, and others) is about to be won by the only team managed by females. 
• I keeping adding lights to my yard - so much so that I tripped a fuse this weekend.  Looking at a fuse box is never a good thing. 
• I'm thinking of doing something I've never done: Seeing the lights at Interlochen in Arlington. Worth it or a beating? 
• How did the Russians not scream like school girls in this video?
• Girl in bikini at Denver/New England game yesterday. Hey, now. 
• If you haven't already, you'll get an email of a photo of guy and an elk and something scary in the background.  It's fake. 
• There was a big fire in Runaway Bay over the weekend. (Doesn't it seem like there's a huge structure fire out there about once a year?) 
• And it was just a tiny blurb on the news, but a nice house in Keller was destroyed by fire over the weekend as well. Someone actually sent me a picture they took of it.  It's a little blurry, but that's one nice house being destroyed.  
• The boys on WBAP were discussing the Bob Seger concert at the AAC on Saturday. The man-whose-name-I-won't-mention said that he would have absolutely wanted to hear "Old Time Rock and Roll."  Is there more of a Power Down than the opening chords of that song?
• Did you hear the Texas Panhandle was supposed to a foot of snow tonight with blizzard conditions? I wouldn't mind that at all. 
• Deion Sanders asked Tony Romo a very odd question on Saturday night. It's already a Ticket drop. It was only outdone by a St. Louis lineman saying something you cannot say in an open mic.
• I guess it's about time for the Wise County Messenger's "top stories of the year." I'm guessing the Paradise murder will be #1. 

Spot The Serial Killer

Oh, My

Wow. Who would have known the Video Of The Year would make an appearance at the last minute? I love the guy who ends up in the passenger seat of the golf cart, steers it a little bit, and then bails out like nobody's business. I'm right there with ya, buddy! I'm no hero, either. Save yourself! And then there's the fat boy in a white shirt who gets tackled by the turf for no reason. Worst. Hero. Ever.   Finally, there's the guy who shows up at the end like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible XIV. After saving the day by shutting down the cart, he just stares forward in defeat. You know what he's thinking, "I'm so . . . . "

I smell Best Documentary. I could watch this more than the Zapruder film.

Edit: The black guy who is near death reminds me of Stanley from "The Office."

Edit: Woah. Who arranged those pylons like the Twin Towers at the end of the youtube clip? Coincidence?