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11.15.2013
Injustice Just Received An Exclamation Mark
 | keyetv (@keyetv) |
Former WilCo judge Ken Anderson out of jail. Served 3 days of 10 day sentence. #MichaelMorton served over 2 decades. keyetv.com/news/features/… | |
From The Email Bag
Chico has a police department? I've been involved in the criminal justice system for Wise County for over 20 years, and I've never heard of a Chico Police Department.
Random Friday Morning Thoughts
- Saw most of Killing Kennedy last night. Rob Lowe as JFK? OK. Not bad. Overall, I really liked it, but it also felt like reading Cliff Notes instead of the novel. (Does anyone know what Cliff Notes are any more?)
- Random odd thought: What ever happened to iron lungs?
- Another JFK documentary I saw last night was one on CBS Sports, Marching On: 1963 Army-Navy Remembered, about the decision to play the Army/Navy game after the President's assassination. Fantastic. Four things: (1) The Army quarterback interviewed for the show looked and sounded so much like Dick Cheney that I actually thought it was Dick Cheney, (2) footage of Roger Staubach playing reminded me of Johnny Manziel, (3) the last play of the game was beyond wheels off - I'm trying to find a video of it - so much happened, and (4) It used to be commonplace to see a quarterback get an official timeout if the crowd was so loud that the team couldn't hear the snap count. When did that end?
- I saw the story of how the Star-Telegram will now be printed at a plant owned by the Dallas Morning News but I missed this last sentence: "More than 75 full-time and 200 part-time employees in the Star-Telegram production operation will lose their job when the transition occurs in early 2014."
- I've always hated Star Wars and I finally figured out why: R2D2 and C3PO. Those guy irritated me to no end.
- UT is in big trouble in light of the lawsuit filed by women's track and field coach Beverly Kearney. If I understand it correctly, she was forced to resign after having an affair with a student. Meanwhile, football offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, who also had an affair with a student, remains on staff.
- I'll be stunned if the Star-Telegram doesn't run something about the judge chastising the jury about a not guilty verdict that I wrote about yesterday. I've been in the law business for over 25 years, and I've never seen anything like it.
- Random obscure local traffic note: The road striping under 287 on FM 730 by James Wood Motors is dangerous. You have vehicles traveling 40 mph in opposite directions who both have the right to simultaneously go into a "left turn only" lane. It's a recipe for head-on collisions.
- BagofNothing guy and I both posted the Noah trailer and the Volvo commercial yesterday. I have no idea who did it first but it might have been almost simultaneous. We think oddly alike.
- "If you look down on me because I'm young I'm going to look down on you for being ignorant.....and I'll still respect you." - Tweet last night from Uncle Nate (the college dropout spare who hangs with Johnny Manziel as his pseudo manager). Now that's an example of passive-aggressive.
- My favorite Gordon Keith bit: The Ed Carter Sports Line.
- My favorite mayor: Toronto's Rob Ford. (You can Google him and have high entertainment. That man is full throttle.)
- Amazon leased a 1.1 million foot warehouse on 68 acres near Haslet for 15 years. Now a pension fund has bought the property. And I get nervous about buying a dishwasher.
- Hey, that ID theft suspect pictured in the Update is wearing an Evil Empire shirt.
11.14.2013
Making The Rounds: Visiting Judge In Tarrant County Chews Out Jury For Finding DWI Defendant Not Guilty
Amazing. It happened just over two weeks ago in County Criminal Court no. 4.
The jury has an absolute right to disregard an Intoxilyzer result if they have a reasonable doubt about its accuracy. It's not jury nullification, it is following their oath and the law. How he doesn't know that is beyond shocking.
It was visiting judge Jerry Ray who retired last year as district judge in Palo Pinto County. Before being judge, he was the elected District Attorney.
Godless Hollywood Is Making A Movie Named "Noah"?
Big budget. From the director of Black Swan. Starring Russell Crowe, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Watson.
Who would have thunk it.
That Looks Bad
BREAKING: There has been a gas pipeline explosion south of Milford on FM 308. More details to come. pic.twitter.com/amnLVdfJKG
— WFAA TV (@wfaachannel8) November 14, 2013
Milford is in Ellis County. (I had to look it up.)
Edit:
Milford Explosion UPDATE ~ All Milford ISD students have been evacuated to Italy ISD pic.twitter.com/yfNehDINrM
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) November 14, 2013
Funny edit:
Milford TX is home to 700 people "and 3 or 4 old grouches," per city homepage. Also 3 energy pipelines, 1 now afire pic.twitter.com/Gtkus2fJ2w
— Bud Kennedy (@BudKennedy) November 14, 2013
Random Thursday Morning Thoughts
- On March 29th, I made the very specific prediction that Yu Darvish would finish second in the Cy Young voting. Yesterday that came true. Never doubt my sportz geniusness.
- Former Cowboy Sam Hurd received 15 years in prison instead of life for being a wannabe drug runner. Even that sentence is ridiculous. And the amount of tax dollars used to set him up was ridiculous.
- The case kind of reminds me of the FBI tracking down a dumb Muslim kid online and setting him up to do a fake terrorist act that he would never have been able to pull off if he had just been left alone.
- Another Earthquake around Eagle Mountain Lake last night. What's going on? I go all my life without hearing about one in the area and now we have four or five a week.
- I watched a documentary last night on PBS about how cautious Walter Cronkite was before he would officially announce on TV that Kennedy was dead. I didn't know that CBS radio had already announced the death before Cronkite finally made his famous announcement. And look at his words: "From Dallas, Texas, the flash apparently official: President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time, 2:00 Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago. Vice President Johnson has left the hospital in Dallas, but we do not know to where he has proceeded; presumably, he will be taking the oath of office shortly and become the 36th President of the United States." Using the words "apparently" and "presumably" gave him some wiggle room just in case he was wrong.
- Back then there were three TV news organizations. If you were wrong on a major story, you were done.
- We had a reverse "And Another" (meaning it was a male teacher and not female) sentence yesterday in Tarrant County were the guy received the maximum of 20 years in prison. Then again, if you have sexual relations with five students, that's going to happen.
- Baylor's coach Art Briles got a contract extension last night making it a ten year deal with a reported $5 million buyout. That's no guarantee he won't leave along the way but it guarantees he won't be going to Texas if Mac Brown is fired after this season (which seems less and less possible anyway.)
- "Why would you do that, daddy?" - Briles oldest daughter when he was contemplating taking the Baylor job. I thought the same thing at the time.
- Not surprising to me that so few people have signed up for Obamacare months before the deadline. There aren't many who file tax returns in January either.
- Word broke yesterday that Florida State's star quarterback and Heisman favorite Jameis Winston is a suspect in an almost year old sexual assault. The victim described "the suspect in the sexual assault case as being between 5-foot-9 and 5-11. Winston is listed by Florida State at 6-4." I don't think he has much to worry about.
- I love the tie in the Paradise school board race between Bill Mundy and Ben Sanders. They could agree to settle it by "casting lots" like a coin flip or drawing straws. They need to come up with a similar concept but which is fantastically creative and get then get the metroplex news crews involved. It'd be great publicity for Paradise.
11.13.2013
Ken Anderson Has Just Checked Into Jail
The former Williamson County prosecutor who will now do nine days in jail for intentionally withholding evidence that led to the wrongful conviction of Michael Morton for 25 years.
It's Going To Be A Long Campaign When He's Posting Stuff Like This
THIS is what I call wheelchair accessible. @NRA #tcot @TexasGOP #guns #txgop pic.twitter.com/axgF1kI2Sh
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 12, 2013
You would think he's running for President of the NRA instead of governor.
Does This Make Me An Internet Mogul?
Time to start thinking about an IPO. I'm gunning for you Zuckerberg.
Source for this (certainly) deadly accurate evaluation.
Edit: It has to be accurate. Look at the value a few hours later:
Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts
- Shout out to the two Century Link guys who came to fix my Internet connection yesterday at the office. Funny and efficient. And they even started out the job pointing out that they were Liberally Lean fans and (I hope jokingly) said they knew they had to hurry over to the job before the comments section started dogging the company.
- The Sophomore In The House ran over to me last night with a waxed covered hand yelling in (fortunately) a bad acting voice of "I burned my hand!" Mrs. LL was standing nearby to calm my fears in the event I fell for the bit. I have no idea what they were doing over there -- some skin softening trick I think.
- TCU coach Gary Patterson seems like he's gained a lot of weight. And he seems overly stressed on the sideline this season. There will be bad times, man. You've got a lot of equity built up -- roll with it while you fix it.
- That bagofnothing guy wrote yesterday that he was beginning to dislike the soldier/child surprise reunions that news crews were filming because the coverage seemed to cheapen the moment. I promise I was going to say the same thing yesterday but simply forgot to do so. Couldn't agree more.
- Oh, man: Mrs. LL tells me yesterday that she has bought tickets to Oswald: The Actual Interrogation at Casa Manana for Saturday. (How did I not know about that show?) But, uh, that's also at the same time as Texas Tech / Baylor game at Cowboys Stadium. When I timidly pointed that out, she was more than understanding (sincerely - not faking) and told me that her mom had already expressed interest in the ticket if I didn't want to go. I'm thinking. Thinking.
- One sportswriter I forgot to mention who habitually says "I had a nice chat with [insert athlete]" was Peter King. He may be the worst offender of self important self promotion.
- Someone posted the other day as the "Double Fake Speaks Volumes Guy". That made me laugh.
- I'm disappointed with Megyn Kelly's new show on Fox News. I always considered her to at least attempt to be a slight voice of reason amongst all the noise. Now she seems to be following an angry right wing script providing regurgitated talking points readily devoured by her viewers. And she doesn't even seem comfortable selling it.
- "If you can't win elections, you can't govern." - Rick Perry on whether the Tea Party needs to be more pragmatic.
- "The sudden appearance of about 40 [peaceful yet] armed men outside a Dallas-area restaurant this weekend was the latest confrontation between an open-carry gun-rights group and a mothers group advocating gun control that was meeting inside." A quick consultation with a PR firm would have been well worth the money for the gun rights group. Your message will always get lost if it's not packaged correctly.
- Had a guy tell me as I walked to the office that the Decatur girls beat their "nemesis" Argyle last night in the volleyball playoffs. I knew Abilene Wylie was a nemesis but I'm not well versed on volleyball rivalries.
- If anyone gets angry about the "not guilty by reason of insanity" verdict referenced in the Update, please read the sentence that the State did not contest the fact the guy was crazy and that he did not know right from wrong. The trial at least sets forth a procedure to get the guy help. A dismissal wouldn't have done that.
- Jon Stewart went after Sen. Lindsey Graham the other day. And it was fantastic.
- Gov. Chris Christie is on the cover of Time this week with the caption "The Elephant In The Room". Clever. He's a big guy and possibly a moderate Republican who could shake up the Tea Party's desired takeover of the GOP.
- I heard on the radio that Mav's coach Rick Carlisle "doesn't suffer fools". And although that was said as a compliment, I consider that to be code for a one word derogatory term he greatly deserves.
- I'm a fairly good Bible trivia guy (I once stunned friends in online Jeopardy by knowing the answer to a question about an obscure Old Testament god named "Baal") but I had no idea that the "suffer fools" was from 2 Corinthians.
- Mrs. LL and I rarely watch Seinfeld anymore but we did last night. When she hit the "info" button she almost fell out of her chair when she learned the episode we were watching was twenty-two years old.
- Fifth Grader in the House yesterday as I was watching the news: "Are they already talking about running for President?" Me: "Yep. It never ends. And everyone is so angry." Her: "It's like no one wants to agree. They all think they are right." Out of the mouth of babes.
- NFL: The Saints set an NFL record with 40 first downs on Dallas but more shocking is that they had a 625-193 yard edge.
- The Sophomore in the House was watching Life of Pi and then stopped down to ask if we thought bananas would float.
- Everyone is up in arms over the "new" college basketball rule that disallows hand checking. That rule led to a mind numbing 79 free throws in yesterday's Baylor/South Carolina game.
- Man, I got dogged the other day after saying that Lee Harvey Oswald's widow had been remarried for the last 50 years. OK, technically it was 48 1/2 years. My apologies. A grievous error. (Side note: I learned that her new husband had already been married twice before that third marriage "took".)
11.12.2013
Former Cowboy Sam Hurd To Be Sentenced Tomorrow
I've just skimmed it since it is loooooong, but the article looks really good. Your government is trying, and very well may, lock him up for life. Insane.
http://mmqb.si.com/2013/11/12/sam-hurd-cocaine-bust/
(Oh, and Century Link will be here sometime before 7:00 pm to fix my office Internet connection.)
Very Random
Random Monday Morning Thoughts
-This will be limited since my office Internet is down and writing this on an iPad is a beating.
-My assistant just came in and gave me a copy of "Double Down". Love her.
-I've got "Killing Kennedy" DVR'd.
-I watched an old episode of "The Brady Bunch". It was about the family going to the Grand Canyon. I stopped down with the scene of all nine family members (Alice included) in one station wagon. ---They were all singing and as happy as could be. Oh, the 70s.
-Some of the comments lately have been oozing hate. I don't know how some of you live that way. But it's ironically entertaining.
-I could sleep all day listening to the cold wind.
-The most evil prosecutor in the world who intentionally withheld evidence that caused Michael Morton to be wrongfully imprisoned for 25 years has agreed to give up his law license and serve nine days in jail. Nine days!
-Watched some Vietnam documentaries yesterday. Incredible bravery by those guys in a foreign land.
-I really like Sting's "Fields of Gold"
11.11.2013
Finally
I've been on a rant about this case since it happened. A cop fired 41 shots into the vehicle of an unarmed man after a chase.
But manslaughter? That's the "reckless" killing of another individual. In its simplest terms, it means that a person didn't intend to kill another (that's murder) but instead killed another by doing something so stupid when he knew there was a risk of that death occurring but made a decision to disregard that risk and continue on with his stupidity. Example: Driving through a school zone at 90 mph in a school zone.
I'm pretty sure the officer meant to kill the guy.
Story.
Storu.
DFW Knows Better
Everyone is jumping on the "she was drunk" bandwagon regarding the Michigan president because of a halftime speech.
Nope.
There is some weird phenomenon that happens sometimes when speaking in a stadium/arena and the speaker gets caught up in the feedback.
It happened famously at UNT. And at TCU.
Random Monday Morning Thoughts
- Sarah Palin was on the Today Show this morning. When did she get so angry? (Oh, and she'll be at Costco in Plano later this month!)
- Amazingly I've never seen it, but I caught most of the first episode of the Band of Brothers series. Men in their twenties fighting in combat in World War II are worthy of all the credit they can get.
- I've kept away from the Richie Incognito controversy but did watch his Fox interview yesterday. What a meathead. I'm thinking about compiling of list why I hate the NFL.
- Texas has 2 losses. Oklahoma has 2 losses. Texas beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma is ranked above Texas. Ummkay.
- High school football Idiocracy: There are nine teams which qualified for playoffs with just two wins. And two teams who made it in with just one win! Schedule
- Greg Abbott "knocked on doors" on Saturday. That has to be a publicity stunt because it certainly is not a practical way to campaign.
- "I thought smoking pot was illegal. Everybody's smoking pot. What's up with all the pot?" - Kellie Rasberry tweet while attending a music festival this weekend.
- Two more earthquakes near Wise County over the weekend. I can't believe I even type a sentence like that.
- I read most of the Texas Monthly issue on the current Texas oil boom over the weekend. Fantastic stuff. Midland rising. But the last place I would want to be is in that city's Petroleum Club hanging out with those oil guys.
- If rolling out affordable health care doesn't go smoothly and initially costs me a bunch of money so that people in the future have coverage, I have no problem with that. How can anyone have a problem with that?
- That being said, I do laugh at all those who scream "My premiums are going up!" Hasn't that been said every year for the last twenty years? The last forty years?
- Saw the elder George Bush and Bob Dole on separate newscasts over the weekend. Both seem to be in their last days.
- Whatever nutcase posted yesterday that Ted Cruz will be the next president, can we bet on that? A far right winger will never win the presidency and will never even get the Republican nomination. It's a no-brainer.
- "What do you think about Ted Cruz?" should be a starting point for any friendship/relationship. There may be no better and quicker way to size up a person.
- I took the under on the Cowboys wins being less than 8.5, and I was beginning to get nervous. Not any longer. But in their defense (pardon the pun), when half of your defense is injured you don't stand much of a chance.
- Tyrannosaurus dance celebration!
- Johnny Football's stats are better than last year at this point. I have no trouble with that man being handed the Heisman.
- While jogging my normal path over a normal bridge over a normal creek yesterday, I spotted eight ducks casually swimming by. I stopped down and just watched.
- UT had a defensive lineman have his knee destroyed (watching his face was heartbreaking) and had their star running back blow out his Achilles. In addition, I bet I saw three to four concussions over the last two days which left players motionless on the field. I love the sport, but it is getting harder to watch.
- Lee Harvey Oswald's wife has been remarried for over 50 years and lives a quiet life in Rockwall.
- I loved Game Change - a book about the 2008 Presidential campaign. And now everyone is reading the sequel about the last election. It's driving me crazy that I'm behind.
11.10.2013
Cowboy Game On. I Came Across This.
I find this more interesting.
Edit: I retract that. This from the Cowboy game is weirder.
Ted Cruz At Harvard Law School
From the Boston Globe's article today entitled "Harvard Law outsider became Tea Party hero".
Perfect photo.
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