Above The Fold

Taking You Into The Weekend

How's That Texas Small Government Working Out For You?

(More)

The Texas Supreme Court handed down an opinion today which really concerns practice and procedure in Summary Judgment proceedings but before you fall asleep: Read those facts. The State of Texas is trying to take a Lincoln Navigator and over $90,000 in cash because some dumb drug dog "alerted" on the money during a traffic stop. Puhleeeze.

And how in the world can the State justify detaining the guy in the first place to wait for the drug dog? Everyone loves the Second Amendment around here but no one cares about the Fourth.

Incredible.

Someone Steal Some Booze?

40th Anniversary Of Roe v. Wade

I'm not sure I understand this. At all.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• A Girl Scouts meeting banished me to one of the corners of the house last night. That was OK.
• The Dallas Police actually had a heck of a rescue this morning after some incapacitated drunk/fool/poor-in-health driver went into Bachman Lake. I'm not sure what I would worry more about: The lake water drowning me or the lake water's pollution. 
• "Stunt airplane in Lancaster swoops near people on runway in video, raising safety concerns."
• We had the neighbor cat sit on the ledge of our upstairs bedroom window which caused quite the commotion once it was discovered in the middle of the night.
• I was surprised to see former great UT placekicker Russell Erxleben charged by the Feds yesterday for running a Ponzi scheme. I was even more surprised when I read the story to find out he's already spent time in federal prison for the same thing years earlier.
• Mrs. LL is sneezing like a fool, and I have diagnosed the problem as records levels of Mountain Ceder (which used to kill me but which I've suddenly become immune to it.)
• A 22 year old was killed by police after shoplifting at a Target in Grand Prairie. Hope that was justified. I think this may be the kid's Facebook page. Lots of Christian thoughts on it as of late.
• Bridgeport's Kassandra Davila's book in photo in the Update yesterday was a happy one. 
• Not so fast: Now it sounds like it was a female impersonating Te'o's girlfriend. (Mrs. LL was reading Deadspin in bed this morning. I don't know her anymore.)
• Drug bust for meth in Newark yesterday. Other news: Sun will rise in the East today.

Hey, Paradise Folks!! Don't Hang A Man In A Red Van!

Let's Mourn The Passing Of Booger Pruitt

Royce "Booger" Pruitt has died. Best known (or at least is now known) for being the longest serving Sheriff in the history of Texas. "He started working as a Deputy Sheriff for Glasscock County in 1958 and was appointed Sheriff in 1962. He retried in 2008 after 47 years and was the longest serving Sheriff in Texas and the United States." In the 2010 census, Glasscock County had 1,226 residents..

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

Revised due to duplication error

• I got hauled off to the doctor against my will by Mrs. LL yesterday. Maybe its just a sudden drop in blood sugar but this is getting a little tricky to diagnose. But she seemed really scared yesterday so I went along. 
• Listened to in house mini-concert of someone playing the recorder last night. I didn't even know that instrument was still around. 
• Women are going to be allowed to fight on the front lines in our military. I suppose how it is implemented will be the key. (But radio guy Mark Davis was blowing a gasket over the subject this morning.)
• I'm not certain, but I think the current hot spot (and a spot which is ripe for abuse) for Plaintiffs lawyers it patent litigation with ground zero being the federal courts in East Texas.
• I bet Jay Ratliff is going to look pretty good on the Field Sobriety Testing but that dang blood test might doom him. 
• Foggy 380 this morning. 
• There was a story yesterday of the countless hours Manti Te'o spent on the phone to his fake girlfriend (as documented by phone bills.)  As nutty as that makes Te'o, it also makes the perpetrator at the other end a nutcase. And the story got weirder at Te'o's lawyer now claims the fake girlfriend was voiced by a guy.
• I've never thought of this: Is there any actual law that prevents a man from going in a public woman's bathroom or visa-versa?  
• What's the current status of the Waggonner Mansion in Decatur? And what about the huge house at College Street and Hale which seems to have been vacant for years?
• We've had "An Another" but it involves a man. And, unfortunately, a former Baylor pitcher.
• It would drive me nuts to be a school superintendent (two stories about them in the Update today.) Your fate is determined by a small group of school board members every couple of years who each have their own agendas.
• A story came out yesterday that the national Democrats are now focusing on Texas with  the chance that it will soon become a blue state. If so, experts believe, "the Electoral College math is simple. We won’t be talking about Ohio, we won’t be talking about Florida or Virginia, because it won’t matter. If Texas is bright blue, you can’t get to two-seventy electoral votes. The Republican Party would cease to exist."
• Some tried to take shots at Hillary yesterday to get their soundbite or a question on the news but she fought back like crazy.  Heck, she might be the Democratic nominee in three years.

Fire and Possible Wheelchair

That's A Pretty Good Argument

You may remember this kid, 17, who is accused of Capital Murder in Parker County of his mom and sister. It sounds pretty cold-blooded.

But his lawyers were in court today arguing that the indictment should be quashed because if he were to be found guilty of the charged offense there are only two possible punishments under Texas law: (1) death or (2) live without parole. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has recently held that it is cruel and unusual punishment for either of those sentences to imposed on a minor defendant. So the lawyers argued he was charged with a crime that he can't be punished for.

Above The Fold

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• I can't stop sweating this morning. That can't be good. And it will make these thoughts abbreviated.
• The Collin County Sheriff says he will not enforce any federal gun laws that he believes are unconstitutional. I wonder if he has a copy of the Constitution?
• You would think Cowboys noseguard Jay Ratliff would be smart enough to not get a DWI but he went so far as to have it involve a wreck on 114.  (Just like Josh Brent.)
• Stolen from Twitter: "Welcome to the home of the Dallas Cowboys, where safety comes first! ___1___ days without an accident."
• A lot of movies blow right past me (or go straight to DVD). Case in point: Last night I saw one called Limitless from 2010 starring Brad Cooper and Robert De Niro.
• Why is everyone dogging Beyonce about lip syncing the National Anthem at the inauguration? Did Whitney Houston do the same at the Super Bowl one year?
• People gripe about the criminal justice system but over the last couple of decades Wise County has a pretty good reputation. Really. 

Decatur Begger

Spotted by a faithful reader by Lowe's in Keller.

When Did The Messenger's Facebook Page Turn Into The Liberally Lean Comment Section?

This is the reaction to the lockdown today.

Shooting At Lone Star College

What's "Lone Star College"?

Link.

Gov. Perry vs. The Supreme Court

And from last week's Time magazine.

Secret Service Pick Me Up

Update

Last year:

This year:

How Common Is This?

The University of Mississippi now requires students to scan their ID cards for class attendance.

Lockdown?

Edit: Hearing a report the guy might have been a Fed Ex driver who was involved in a weird lawsuit last year where a motorcyclist's family sued him after the motorcyclist died after crashing into him.

Lady With The Widest Hips In The World

More proof.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Breaking: Major accident at FM 2123 and FM 51 this morning. Head on collision. 
• Yesterday seemed like a reality check for the Far Right.Yep, he's around for four more years.
• James Woods Motors has put up a billboard right by the Karl Klement dealership.
• Drunk driving death on the road that runs behind the theater and restaurants on the east side of I-35 as you are going into Fort Worth just before hitting 820. I feared the pot holes on that back road but never a drunk driver.
• President Obama was chewing gum like nobody's business when he watched the parade yesterday. He must be a serious smoker. 
• I understand James Taylor performing at the Inauguration but NBC turned him into a color commentator yesterday.
• Dallas DA Craig Watkins was on Fox 4 last night.  That man isn't smart (and I'm being generous.)
• Two strippers, one pregnant, battle it out over a dollar bill. God bless America.
• I'm not sure why the movie Sucker Punch is not a cult classic.
• Golfer Phil Mickelson is thinking about moving from California because of the overall tax rate. He's had a hard life, I'm sure. (He's made $69 million in PGA winnings alone.)
• Kelly Clarkson performed at the Inauguration yesterday. She's basically back to a "Hey, Now" status. 
• Four people in their 50s are listed in the death notices in today's Update. Freaks me out. 
• President Obama's "I want to take one last look." Credit Bagofnothing.com.

Flashback: The Courthouse Square in April of 2009

After a very long reading of the Declaration of Independance, the speech begins at 6:40.

I remember watching this from the balcony with an assistant DA who told me, "I'll tell you this, there is no way that Obama will get re-elected." I just replied, "It might be a little to early to start making predictions."

Fox News Wants To Remind You

Panoramic, Zoom In, Photo Of Inauguration

Really cool.

Link.

And from the Inaugural Address, there is the mention of gay rights:

"It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law, for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well." 

Shocking Assassination Attempt

Happy MLK Day

(I've been holding this post since May of 2011.)

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Mrs. LL and I went to the Stock Show this weekend. Verdict: Not bad, but I'm not sure I understand the fascination of doing it every year.
• We went with two other couples. One of the guys got invited to Rodeo Exchange by a 40ish year old stranger/lady.  I can't believe we didn't go.
• And we got to stay at a condo in the old Montgomery Ward's building. Fantastic. That may be an alternative retirement to Costa Rica, but Costa Rica may be cheaper.
• The rodeo competition was between actual ranch hands instead of professional cowboys. I felt like I was watching the equivalent of rocket scientists. Really. I have no idea what their world is like.
• And everyone loves the announcer at the rodeo but count me out. He reminded me of Hal Jay with an attitude.
• I would have loved to see Borat grab a microphone and address the crowd.
• I had a guy walk up to me in the Exhibit Hall and say, "I can't wait to read about this on the blog." Really.
• I stood amongst eight urinals and I was the only one without a cowboy hat on. 
• So we have brothers coaching against each other in the Super Bowl?  Get ready for a media beat down.
• A teen kills five people, including three children, in New Mexico.
• I'm addicted to beach volleyball on the X-Box Kinect.But I'm so angry at the girl avatar who keeps beating me. 
• The gangsta mobile is back in the garage after a $4,000+  transmission bill. Kill me. But it is running fantastically
• I think I'm worn out on the Manti Te'o story but here is my theory: He was initially duped, it was a casual online relationship,  but at the moment the media picked up the storyline of "his girlfriend" died he ran with it and began lying to promote himself. And he continues to lie today. 
• Former KXAS anchor Jane McGarry, somewhat, will debut on WFAA/Channel 8's morning show on Thursday. I only hope she is relaxed as she is on twitter. 
• I watched a documentary of the Presidents leading up to FDR.  There's a lot of similarity between FDR and President Obama. History, I think, will treat him well. 
• I actually watched CSPAN this morning for the inauguration prelude. Fairly fascinating. Especially watching the secret service agents as the President walked his way into church.
• Fox and Friends had a segment this morning on how the facts show show that a two parent household is better than a one parent household. Mrs. LL then quoted the ATT commercial with kids: " Really? What's better? One or two?" (And those commercials are funny! Tape a cheetah to her back?)
• Then Mrs. LL went back to bed (she had earlier got up to go pick up the Freshman-In-The-House up from some school sleepover.)
• Wordkyle mentioned the other day that I have a "blind spot" about a certain subject. I don't deny that. 
• Football thought: Turnovers will kill you.
• Nothing is worse than walking out of the grocery without a cart and carrying liquids.

Above The Fold

What's it cost to have an ad cover the masthead?

And an excerpt on CSCOPE: