Bicyclist On The Fort Worth 7th Street Bridge

I actually drove across it for the first time this morning. This happened a bit later. Nuts.

Above The Fold

Oh no!

Edit:

Baby Polar Bear Taking First Steps Into The Weekend

Because it was the first full work week of the year.

A Modern Day Billie Joe McAllister

FOX5 Vegas - KVVU

Now this is more like it. No getting on your knees with your hands up. No subjecting yourself to an old fashioned tasing. Nope. She's going full throttle right in to the river. Either going big or going home.  It's good to see that young people today have some initiative. Story.

Yolo!

Part Of Josh Brent's Intoxication Manslaughter Case Closed To Press?

RT @shaunrabbfox4 reporters told they cannot observe Josh Brent jury selection process because there is no room pic.twitter.com/IaeEdUp6QN
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) January 10, 2014

If this is true, I'm sounding the alarm. You have the right to a public trial.

See Lilly v. State, 365 S.W.3d 321 (Tex.Crim.App.2012) Trial in chapel of a maximum security prison violated right to public trial and case was reversed.  

See Garcia v. State, 401 S.W.3d 300 (Tex.App-San Antonio 2013, pet. ref'd) Three family members of Defendant excluded form voir dire due to spaced limitations was error and case was reversed.

 

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Chris Christie is a perfect politician for New Jersey.
• I've never been a fan of his since the first time I heard his voice: He was interviewed while U.S. Attorney in This American Life's 2009 "Arms Trader". The subject of the show is one of my biggest sources of irritation: The federal government seeking out incompetent "terrorists" in the U.S. and spending a fortune to set them up for an act of terrorism that they could never do on their own. Christopher Christie, as he was referred to, came across as a publicity seeking prosecutor. And, as it turns out, he was. 
• Am I reading this right? A list released yesterday by the Texas Education Agency listed Boyd High School, Bridgeport Middle School, and Chico High School on its "PEG" list? And the "PEG program permits parents whose children attend schools on the PEG list to request that their children transfer to schools in other districts." And a school only gets on the list if "50 percent or more of [its] students did not pass any of the state assessment subjects in any two of the preceding three years."
• There was a Fort Worth ISD's whistleblower lawsuit that was filed in Wise County a while back which I swore was settled on the first day of trial last year. But late yesterday the Fort Worth Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the school in a previously filed summary judgment. I'm confused. 
• A DA candidate in Iowa City, Iowa says that "if elected he would not prosecute public intoxication or marijuana possession cases." These times they are changing. Or not? That was the policy of the Wise County Attorney twenty years ago. 
• The Golden Globes are Sunday -- the only awards show worth watching.
• The Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado, the home of the Mormon radical sect that was one led by imprisoned Warren Jeffs, has been forfeited to the State after the group didn't show up in court to battle against the seizure. That's odd for a group which normally fights tooth and nail. Or maybe they have disbanded. 
• The scariest thing I've ever heard and scene seen: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department now has a SWAT team. It'll be like Rambo Game Wardens. (That link contains a picture which is a must see.)
• Breaking employment news: Unemployment drops to 6.7%. (Cue Wordkyle in 3, 2, . . . . But is sounds like he might be justified this time.)
• I-30 was shut down for hours in both directions on the bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard this morning because of a massive 18 wheeler pile-up. Now that's a traffic nightmare -- there's not exactly service roads you can jump onto to bypass it. 
• I don't understand it all, but it sounds like there's been a heck of a war over who controls the Wise County Posse Grounds. And the war is over money.
• I wonder how many people in Bridgeport said yesterday, "I never realized how much I appreciated easy access to water." 

Lawyer Ad Of The Day: Jamie Casino

And You Wonder Why They Hate Us?

Competitive eater Molly Schuyler broke the world record for fastest eating of a 72-ounce steak at Sayler’s Old Country Kitchen in Portland, Oregon. This tiny [120 pound] woman devoured the monster steak in 2 minutes and 44 seconds. The previous Guinness World Record for eating a 72 oz. steak was 6 minutes and 48 seconds, set by Peter Czerwinski (Furious Pete)

In other news, let's go to Ann Curry in Africa.

Bridgeport Water Leak -- Updated

Getting lots of report of a "major water leak" in Bridgeport which is disrupting the residential water supply.

Developing . . .

Edit: The Messenger has chimed in . . .

Major leak near Bridgeport water plant could leave city without water until 10 pm. #BreakingNews http://t.co/iKPuXabquv
— WCMessenger.com (@WCMessenger) January 9, 2014

Edit: School's out. No toilets make it a problem.

This Lady Is Running For Texas State Board Of Education

We have Devil worshipers who cannot wait to vote. Like I said to the liberal grannie who thinks the Devil is right. Christians will win.
— Lady Theresa Thombs (@ladythombsdj) January 9, 2014

She had a heck of a performance at a campaign forum on Monday night which was brought to our attention first by Bud Kennedy and then elaborated upon by the Dallas Observer.

Gov. Christie Says He Was "Blindsided" -- Fires Person "Who Lied To Me"

Everyone was buying what he was selling until he said that he learned of the situation yesterday "after I had finished my workout."

Completely Geeky NFL Stat No One Will Care About

In this world of high flying offenses, look where the final four playoff teams [in the NFC] fall on a chart that plots points allowed and yards allowed.

Edit to commentor: Yeah, I understand. In a world of high flying offenses, it is defense which carries the day. Pay attention.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Fog anyone?
• In case you missed it, a Wise County Constable ran a stop sign in Decatur and collided with one of the Hand clan from Chico and then took out a power pole.
• Jury selection begins today in former Cowboy Josh Brent's Intoxication Manslaughter case.
• I worked for a couple of years in downtown Dallas and used its little known pedestrian tunnel system all the time. (They were talking about the tunnel system on the radio this morning.)
• Stay with me here: The Texas Finance Commission oversees the Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner, the "state's lending watchdog." You know, things like payday loans. I was shocked to learn that the appointed chairman of the Finance Commission is the vice-president of payday lender Cash America! When an El Paso paper tried to talk to him (or even about him) by calling the Commission, the reporter was given the number of Cash America. 
• Everyone has been retweeting this photo of a fighter pilot taking a "selfie" photo over Kyle Field. It is so fake that it hurts. 
• His name escapes me, but twenty years ago a Wise County inmate was killed when a wall collapsed on him as he was helping with an expansion project. 
• The Decatur Beggar was spotted yesterday on 377 south of Keller and he had a lady friend with him.
• Modern Family, which had its season premiere last night, is still funny. 
• Fascinating: Drug Lord Pablo Escobar posing with his son in front of the White House in the 1980s. 
• I saw Sky Mirror at Cowboys Stadium over the holidays. I think that thing is really cool. And it is huge. 
• The Bobby Petrino story is amazing: Was at Louisville, abruptly leaves to coach the Atlanta Falcons, quits with four or so games to go to take a position at the University of Arkansas, gets in a motorcycle wreck with his twenty-something year old mistress on the back and tries to cover it up, gets fired, does a couple of years at Western Kentucky, and yesterday gets hired back at Louisville. It's the circle of life. 
• Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity's vehement opposition to the legalization of marijuana, which the majority of Americans approve of, borders on comical. 
• The death of the man in Wise County, possibly from the Swine Flu, was picked up by lots of media outlets yesterday. Even heard it on the local NPR on the way home. 
• Sports news: Jay, not John, Gruden will be RG3's new coach.
• The Chris Christie administration basically shutting down the busiest bridge in America because of political retaliation is right out of the Sopranos.

Random Car Launch

A driver escaped serious injury when her pickup truck flew off an icy interstate overpass and onto a frozen pond below in a Twin Cities suburb.

I Hope This Is The Craziest Thing You See All Day

The Michigan rap group Insane Clown Posse filed suit on Wednesday against the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, saying that the United States government had made the “unwarranted and unlawful decision” to classify fans of the band as criminal gang members, leading to their harassment by law enforcement and causing them “significant harm.” (More).

Vice: North Korea

Found it. If you have time to watch it, fine. If you don't, I encourage you to go to 17:30 to watch the beginning of a basketball game between Dennis Rodman's U.S. team and the North Korean team. It has nothing to do with the game, but you have to see a packed North Korean arena be absolutely still and silent until the moment Kim Jong-un walks in. And then, oh my.

(Rodman will be in the news today as he sang Happy Birthday to Kim Jong-un yesterday in the same arena.)

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Fox News was in a frenzy yesterday after former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates revealed in a new book that the President and his cabinet weren't fans of the war of Afghanistan and Iraq and made "political" decisions. Not a fan of the war? That's news? Heck, he campaigned on the issue and we elected him to get our troops out of those places.
• I'm more surprised that Gates would write a "tell all" book. He seems better than that.
• Dennis Rodman made the news yesterday as he went nuts from North Korea in an interview with CNN. If you ever get a chance, watch that brief episode of Vice where they followed Rodman to Korea last year. Some of the best TV ever. (Described here but I can't find the actual show online.)
• A grandfather was beaten in the parking lot of Dallas' Campisi's. The guy interviewed for the story was named Ivan Pugh -- a name that looks really familiar to me. Anyone? 
• Fox News was also all over the story of Al Qaeda taking over Fallujah trying to blame the President by asking, "Why did we fight there in the first place?" Uh, that's what the rest of us were asking when the horrible decision to invade the place was first made. 
• The Swine Flu Frenzy seems to be picking up steam. The fear earned Decatur a Bum Steer Award in 2010.
• I'm not sure I understand it, but Decatur's leading professional cowboys are leading a major defection from PRCA per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
• My Dennis Prager update: Listened to him briefly yesterday where he was professing to be an expert on global warming and was of the opinion that "things just change."  As an example, he told his listeners to "look at Greenland and Iceland" implying that Greenland used to be green and Iceland used to be ice.  Do you need to know anything more about the guy? Edit to his one defender: Me, lying? He's said it before! 
• Electronic filing has become mandatory for some courts in Texas as of January 1, 2014 but some counties, like Wise, will have much more time for the transition. But it'll be a big change: Just last month, for example, I had to provide a ridiculous 12 hard copies of a multi-page petition to a court in Austin. Now I'll just have to provide one - electronically submitted in PDF format. 
• All of that reminds me of The Office scene when Michael Scott was addressing a business class and told them, "Write this down: Paper is the future." Then all the students start typing madly on their laptops. 
• The Fifth Grader in the House told me that she thinks Mrs. LL is going to leave me for Juan Pablo on The Bachelor. 
• The AP actually ran a story yesterday that said: "Kraft Foods says some customers may not be able to find Velveeta cheese over the next few weeks." This was important, the story said, because Super Bowl parties were upcoming and we all love cheese dip during parties. Anyone else think that Kraft is suggesting a shortage just to increase sales right now? 
• Crazy discussion on the Mark Davis show yesterday about the pregnant lady, technically dead, who was being kept alive only because of Texas law. Davis proposed that keeping the woman alive was possibly interfering with "God's plan" for the child. Davis, and his callers who disagreed with him, seemed so adamant that they knew what God's intent was. 

Above The Fold

That's A Good Husband

Mrs. Obama remained in Hawaii for some extended R&R after President Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha arrived back at the White House Sunday after a lengthy holiday vacation. Her private vacation was a birthday gift from her husband. - Yesterday's Washington Times

Now Have An Excuse To Post That Blazing Saddles Parody GIF

 Story.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Heck of a story while I was gone about  the realtor being stabbed to death by her ex-husband in her North Fort Worth office while her co-workers heard her scream. 
• Fantastic National Championship Game last night. Before it started the Fifth Grader in the House asked me who I thought would win. I told her, "They think Florida State will." She replied, "How do they know that?" Come up with a simple answer to that one.
• Last January a guy bet $100 at 500 to 1 odds for Auburn to win the National Championship. So close. Story. Pic of ticket. 
• As winning QB Jameis Winston was giving a post game interview, the (hot) mom of Alabama QB A.J. McCarron tweeted, "Am I Listening To English?"  She quickly took it down. 
• Until a couple of years ago, a college football player would get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for the slightest of celebration after a tackle or a touchdown. (The so-called "Miami Rule".) Now they are showboating all the time and the Auburn running back even spiked the ball after his last touchdown. 
• Why were Wise County schools closed yesterday? That's just a weird extra day of the break. 
• Yesterday was the twentieth anniversary of the Nancy Kerrigan attack involving Tonya Harding. On January 16th, ESPN will debut a 30 for 30 about the event called The Price of Gold. I'm in. (And that's a great title, by the way.)
• Last night on I-35 in Dallas, a flatbed truck carrying a load of pipe overturned. Look at that mess hours later as the highway remained shutdown.  
• The Star-Telegram ran a story in November profiling four Texans having trouble finding affordable health care under Obamacare. A blogger thought their stories incredibly false and discovered that three of the four people were Tea Party members. The paper provided a quasi-apology this morning. 
• The Dallas Police Chief used some NSFW language directed at the Dallas Morning News.
• Whatever happened to those neckrolls you used to see some football players wear?
• Some of you might be familiar with the crazy story of the two brothers who owned an ABA team which was left out of the merger with the NBA. They amazingly cut a deal in 1976 to get a portion of any future NBA television contract -- a deal that was to go on forever. Well, the NBA has finally reached a deal with them to buy out the rest of the contract for a half of a billion dollars. 
• The Dallas attorney who was killed by police after he allegedly fired at them after reporting a burglary at an uptown condo had his apartment searched by them. Of course, they found some embarrassing things which the Dallas Observer quickly disclosed. Question: How was a search warrant issued in the first place? The guy is dead.  So they were searching for evidence of a crime that will never be prosecuted?
• I've always mentioned in Texas you can legally carry a long barreled firearm in public so long as you don't do it in a threatening manner. And a guy in Beaumont decided to test that law by carrying an AR-15 in a mall. 

Random National Championship Game Pic

Edit: Bonus pic

Bull Sends Chick Flying

It looks like a long video, but the action happens quick. Then we get some great replays at around the :55 second mark.

And even an interview with the gal who is not-that-bad considering she'd just been launched.

(From Costa Rica, I think.)

World's Colliding

I really have no idea what the controversy is, and I really don't care. But there's no way a story on Fox News that includes Courtney Stodden and the Duck Dynasty guy is not going to get mentioned.

It's 2014 And It Already Belongs To Johnny Football

TMZ already has him in Hollywood getting into a limo with these two girls (and I think Uncle Nate is with him, too). Video.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• ERCOT warned of Texas rolling blackouts this morning due to power usage.  Edit: And then within 15 minutes all local news organizations began saying that may not be true. 
• Trying to get a faucet to slowly drip (in order to prevent pipe freezing) always takes me much longer than it should. 
• Drilling in the Barnett Shale is the lowest in a decade thanks to companies chasing oil in west and south Texas. Not good for Wise County.
• There was a mating session with The Family Pup yesterday, and I was home to see it. That'll be the last time. It was like doggie porn. 
• There are reports that Islamic militants with Al Qaeda ties have taken over the Iraqi city of Fallujah. Who didn't see that day coming day? And for those that say it's because the President "cut and run", do you really want Americans soldiers still over there in 2014 getting shot and blown to bits? It's been over ten years since we invaded that place solely, we were told, to look for WMDs. Uh, that Mission was Accomplished.
• I bet I woke up every thirty minutes last night with a different crazy dream happening during each sleep interval. 
• Sports: (1) Our long national nightmare of the University of Texas' cluster of a job looking for a head coach is over. (2) He might be great. Maybe not. Who knows. But I saw a fan tweet yesterday that no longer will athletes be recruited who are lazy, soft or have a sense of entitlement. Ok, great. But they need to be able to play, too. (3) Speaking of, UT's quarterback Tyrone Swoopes is awful. There's a reason Mack didn't play him all year. But incoming freshman Jerrod Heard looks freakishly fantastic. (4) The Dallas Morning News took down a tweet and a headline yesterday about a story of why Charlie Strong "is not a hip-hop" coach once the expected backlash was felt. (5) Yeah, I'm not a fan of the NFL but three of the four weekend playoff games were fantastic. (6) But in the concussion paranoid NFL, the last thing it needed was to have Jamaal Charles get knocked out of the first series of a playoff game. (7) I bet it will come as a shock to some of the racists on here when they finally realize the Longhorns and the Aggies both have African-American coaches.
• A guy from Decatur had a Letter to the Editor published in the Star-Telegram on Saturday suggesting there might be another U.S. civil war.
• There was a private jet which crashed and burned at the Aspen, Colorado airport yesterday which was witnessed by LeAnn Rimes and comedian Kevin Nealon. For a while there I was wondering if we had a celebrity death at that high tone resort. Although no less tragic, it was just the co-pilot. 
• From the Update: "Both drivers and a passenger in one of the cars was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth by ground ambulance." No one makes more grammatical errors than me when I throw this blog together every morning, but is that sentence correct?
• While I was away A&E "settled" its dispute with Duck Dynasty. I told you that whole controversy was just a bit. The guy got suspended after next season's episode had already been shot and he'll be there for the next season. Never missed a beat.