Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Other election news I missed yesterday: (1) GOP whipping girl Sandra Fluke lost her bid to join the California state senate, (2) American Idol star Clay Aiken lost his bid for Congress in North Carolina, (3) Zach Dasher, nephew of Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson, lost his GOP bid for Congress in Louisiana. and (4) weed was legalized in Oregon, Washington state, D.C., and Alaska.  What a weird country. 
• Speaking of Alaska, remember when the Supreme Court sanctioned the punishment for a kid who was punished for holding up a sign in that state which read, "Bong Hits For Jesus." He was punished for referencing what is now legal activity. 
• Lost in the defeat of Dallas DA Craig Watson is the fate of former (and fired) WFAA reporter Debbie Denmon. She became the Dallas DA's office "Director of Communication" but, the best I can tell, was told to never communicate. On election day, Watkins (being Watkins) issued a press blackout before the election results were in.  
• "President Obama said on Wednesday that he would seek specific authorization from Congress for the military campaign against the ISIS." I'm with the Libertarians on this one: There is no Constitutional authority for Congress to "authorize" military action if the President so desires to use military action. They either declare war or they do not.  That why Ron Paul had a big problem with Bush and Iraq: There was never a declaration of war. Congress just approved force if Bush wanted to use force. 
• "Who cares about this stupid election? We all know it doesn't matter who gets elected . . . .  Do you really think it's gonna change anything around here, make one single person smarter or happier or nicer? The only person it does matter to is the one who gets elected. The same pathetic charade happens every year, and everyone makes the same pathetic promises . . . ." - character Tammy Metzler from the very underrated 1999 movie, Election.
• I'm always surprised that those who think it is a big deal that the election results, when shown on a red/blue map, is shockingly red. Hey, that little blue spot around a place called "New York" is worth more votes than the vast red space of Montana, Idaho, and West Texas combined. 
• "Conservative Pundit Dennis Prager Says College Sexual Assaults Are Lies To Get Votes" That guy may be nuttier than Hannity.
• I was home about an hour early yesterday and put on my running gear. Right before I'm out the door, I get a call that the Junior in the House's car in the high school parking lot is dead and needs a jump. So I'm off. Car jumped. Success. I tell her to "drive it for awhile" to charge it up. I drive home. The car is sitting in front of the house.  "Hey, I told you to drive it." She rolls her eyes and goes to drive it -- except the battery is dead again. I try to jump it again but this time nothing. Absolutely nothing. For some reason, I've got a four year old, yet never used, battery in the garage so I swap it out despite her question of, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Battery installed. Jumped. Success. I tell her to go drive the thing and charge it up. I go off on my jog. A quarter mile away I see her at an intersection. I wave. She waves back but frantically and in a panic. The car died at the intersection. How is that possible? So, me the middle aged jogger, goes and talks to a teenage girl at the intersection. A couple of people drive by giving me a weird stare. Mrs. LL has been called to bring the Gangsta Mobile and the jumper cables. She arrives. Try to jump it off -- nothing. For some unexplained reason, I have a two year old battery, yet never used, in my trunk. They go to retrieve it and return.  A cop shows up.  I fully expect I'm about to have my name and date of birth cross checked against the sexual offender list but it doesn't happen. He's a nice guy. I switch in the new battery and jump it. Success. Now I take the car to drive it and charge the battery since we are scared that it'll die again with the Teenager driving it.  Success again. I park it in front of the house.  It is now dark.  I jog anyway.
• First item in the Update deals with a tractor death near Boyd: "The man, from Decatur, was not identified pending notification of next of kin in Mexico and positive identification." Last item in the Update: "SERVICE for Jesus Saldana, 20, of Mexico is pending at Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd." I'm guessing those two items aren't related but we'll see.