Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• A lawyer in Decatur wanted me to ask what you what you would think if he brought his dog to the office. Let's assume it is not a pit bull. What say you? Unprofessional? Funny bit? Understandable? Comforting?
• The great TV show Vice is after White Rose Women's Center in Dallas which misleads women by pretending to be an abortion provider, coaxes them in, and then hits them with anti-abortion material. Oh, and they are having a fund raiser at the Dallas Country Club in October with Rick Santorum being the speaker.
• I watched most of the Wendy Davis/Greg Abbott debate the other day. Wendy Davis is a horrible debater. It was like watching a Jason Garrett press conference. 
• The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled last week that if you call your neighbor six times over a twelve month period because you are angry that you can lawfully be charged with the crime of Harassment. "Is this Russia, Danny?"
•  On the other end of the spectrum, the Court granted relief for a guy who was wrongfully convicted, in part, because the State hid favorable evidence. Get this: “At the hearing, the lead prosecutor conceded, during this 2007 trial, that she was an alcoholic who was also taking prescription diet pills that affected her memory. She was later fired by the District Attorney . . . for unrelated ethical violations. During the … hearing, the prosecutor repeated seventy-two times that she did not recall or did not know the answers to questions concerning the investigation or trial of [the Defendant." Prosecutors often refer to themselves as "The guys who wear the white hats." Remember that. 
• I deal with a lot of people who are under lots of stress and with a life that is in a free fall sometimes. After dealing with one of them last month (tears shed), I told my assistant, "Sometimes I feel more like a counselor than a lawyer." Then I paused. "I guess I am technically a counselor."
• Random Weekend Texas High School  Football Score: Blum 116, Abbott 88.
• The inventor of the Slush Puppie died last week. I have only the very vaguest memory of the  Slush Puppie.
• I'm mad at myself for not watching The Roosevelts. 
• We lost TV access for a several hours over the weekend, and I ended up checking out HBO Go on the iPad. Let me tell you, watching a show on an iPad with headphones isn't a bad way to go. 
• Saw a car turn into Decatur High School this morning which had two bumper stickers. One was "Come and Take It" (Tea Party) and the other was "Keep Calm and Chive On." (Chive.com). For some reason I found that confusing. 
• I went to the Fellowship [Mega] Church in Grapevine yesterday morning to hear Mark Davis speech. Oh, man, do I have a lot of hot sports opinions to be forthcoming. But I do know this: If I had one wish, it would be to walk into that place with Jesus on the condition that he tell me everything he was thinking. 
• It's amazing that a guy was able to jump the fence and make it into the White House on Friday. There's no question there was a security guy who was simply bored to death at the time it happened. The fence jumper was an Iraq vet diagnosed with PTSD and paranoia. Was that war even worth that single man's life which is now in a death spiral? 
• From the Update: "State National Bank, which has a branch in Decatur, has announced that it will be acquired by east Texas-based Pilgrim Bank in the first quarter of next year. Lonnie 'Bo” Pilgrim'." Old Timers will remember that Bo Pilgrim once handed out $10,000 checks on the Texas Senate floor to try an influence legislation that would impact his chicken processing empire.  
• I watched the first half of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last night. I loved it in the beginning because it was about a beaten down guy who wildly daydreams of being somewhere else and doing other things. [Looking in mirror.] Then is seemed to get off track. 
• Sports: (1) OU looks strong. (2) It is only fitting that the craziest season in Ranger history has them going 8 of 9. (3) I'm not worried about calling for Dallas to have less than 7.5 wins. They are horrible. Edit: My assistant just walked in and told me to be nice to the Cowboys.  (4) Sixth Grader in The House while watching the play in the opener where Jameis Winston leaped over his own player on a touchdown run in a win over OSU: "Wow!!! Who was that???" Me (with defeated voice): "Jameis Winston. He's an idiot." (She looked at me with that "What-do-you-have-against-him look). (5). Am I in the minority if I say that I think Gus Johnson is a fantastic play by play guy? (6). In the past, when a team was punting there was just one up back for blocking. Now there are always three. (7). So why did that lineman shove the Rams' quarterback on the sideline yesterday? (8). The Johnny Football fake-fight-with-the-coach-play was fantastic. (9). That Roger Goodell press conference on Friday was a Hail Mary for his job. Get rid of him. (10). Ticket Fans: ESPN's Dallas Jean-Jacques Taylor tweeted yesterday that the Cowboys would be right back in it if they could score after being down 14-0. I decided to be a smart arse and replied that the statement was obvious. He replied that I should go somewhere else for my sports talk. I might have replied that I had to go shove some wings in my face. Man, I think that guy has a big bag of nothing.