Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• The more you look at the presidential election the more that it is clear that it's an election of For Obama or Against Obama vote. Mitt Romney is just a potted plant.
• This will be huge news by the end of the night: There was a murder in Highland Park last night, and from the looks of it, it's in a house that is even upscale for Highland Park standards. 
• The dead guy's name is John Rodman Steele. In 2010, he requested a variance from the city council to combine the lots at 3217 and 3219 Cornell into one building site. Each lot, without improvements, was worth over $650,000 each.  It looks like that is where the murder occurred. They think it is domestic violence. Severe domestic violence.
• Rhome police had pretty much vanished from patrolling 287 for a long while. Over the last few months, however, they are back out there in full force. (And doing lots of hiding under bridges and behind hills.)
• I'm guessing Jane McGarry didn't resign from Channel 5 -- they used the DWI as an excuse to force her out. 
• Once again, in Texas it is DWI not DUI.
• From the criminal side of it, pleading "No Contest" has absolutely no legal distinction from a guilty plea.
• You'll begin to start hearing news of some guy who was jailed in Arizona for holding a bible study in his home.   You might want to tap the brakes on your outrage. He's a convicted felon who is a nutcase. There's a long, long history. Use the Google. 
• Been hearing lots of grumbling this morning that the American League's loss in the All Star Game last night has cost the Rangers home field in the World Series. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I've got a sports prediction brewing.
• I think I'm right about this: England is technically not a country but is allowed to compete in the Olympics as "England." 
• Kidd Kraddick in trouble over date rape? More accurately, what he said about date rape.
• No matter how confident you are, that moment when you see "Processing Transaction" after you swipe a debit or credit card is always a little tense. And if a perfectly valid card is rejected, there is nothing you can say that would make the clerk believe you (not that that matters.)
• There's a felony trial going on in the Wise County courthouse. I noticed that Paul Belew was involved so I'll get the scoop on it. (But I don't think it is particularly exciting.) 
• 7/11 is giving away free Slurpies today.  I guess that's a good promotion, but if I'm looking for a convenience store and I see one overflowing with people, I ain't stopping.