1.30.2015

Why I Love Jon Stewart

at 6:48 PM

Sports Illustrated Is Rolling Out Its New Swimsuit Models

The second one is from Longview, Texas . . .


Not familiar with her? Me neither.

But.

Wait.

For.

It.



at 1:28 PM

Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyer Sues Ex-Fiancee For Allegedly Sleeping With A Bunch Of Police Officers


More.

And we definitely need a photo of this gal. Her name can be found in the lawsuit included in that link.

Note to lawyer: Cut your losses and go quietly into the night.

Edit: An a faithful follower comes through. Hey, now . . .


at 12:33 PM

That Kind Of Surprises Me




He was sure sounding like he would.
at 10:00 AM

Big Man With A Little Parachute



Actually the parachute looks normal. It just didn't act normal.

And I can't think of any greater panic than having to scramble to look for the cord to my backup parachute as I'm plummeting to an otherwise certain death.

Hey, are there places which let you parachute by yourself after a crash course, or does that not exist any longer?  Every parachute place for novices seems to be that tandem jump.

(You can skip to the 55 second mark.)
at 9:53 AM

Kid, Just Be Glad That Wasn't Texas



We'd have you in Huntsville by the end of the year.

(And what does all that get the kid? A 25 cent plastic piece of junk?)
at 9:45 AM

Random Friday Morning Thoughts



  • I confirmed yesterday that Decatur PD arrested a man for the Class C offenses of "no seatbelt" and "defective headlamps" on Wednesday night. (Actually I got a call from an irate person who said, "Can you believe this!?" I then looked the guy up to verify it was true.)
  • It was odd that the cops couldn't immediately "confirm" the ID of the man killed in Sunset this week. (They could, of course, they just didn't release it.)  Trust me, I've had two cases over the last two years where officers in Wise County got a quick glance of a stranger in the dark and wear willing to swear who it was within two hours. (Both guys got arrested. Both cases got dismissed.) 
  • A loyal reader posted a "Police Dog's Oath" yesterday.  I'm not sure those dogs all agreed to that.
  • From the Update: "A memorial service for Pepper is being planned for next week at Grace Fellowship Church in Paradise."
  • I'll admit I've never heard of the Meridian Highway but Decatur was a part of it and the Texas Historical Commission is celebrating it -- including an "outreach meeting" here on February 3rd
  • Listening to every sports radio station broadcast from Radio Row at the Super Bowl has done something I didn't think was possible: It has made me believe that the non-profit and tax-exempt NFL is  even more corporate, corrupt and sterile than ever.  Hey, Mark Cuban is always wrong these days, but I actually hope his prediction from earlier this year is correct: “I think the NFL is 10 years away from an implosion. When pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. And they’re getting hoggy. When you try to take it too far, people turn the other way. I’m just telling you, when you got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns against you.” 
  • And The Ticket boys expressed their displeasure yesterday when comparing the current state of affairs to years gone by: Radio Row is less populated, potential guests roaming Radio Row (whose sponsor pay for the access) are just hawking stuff, face value of game tickets being $1,000, and the press conference with the halftime music guest has turned into a staged unfunny bit (only reporters from major networks or shows get to ask a "random" question -- which they probably paid for the right to get.)  And NFL officials confiscated two very funny one-tooth Mexican puppets at the Katy Perry press conference who had been hanging out all week. 
  • And if it's greed doesn't destroy it, when an NFL player dies on the field from a hit, it's over. 
  • 615 people died while confined in Texas prisons and jails last year.  I'm guessing most of them were those who are truly a threat to society: The elderly. 
  • There was an Islamic prayer before the Fort Worth rodeo and people were upset about it? This State has done a tremendous job of embarrassing itself this week. 


at 8:38 AM

1.29.2015

Lived In Alvord At One Time




Wise County criminal history (he also had a robbery arrest in 2011 but the case doesn't appear to have been indicted):

Edit: The robbery was arrest to Assault. He was on probation for that at the time of the new incident.
at 5:37 PM

My Eyes!!!!!




I thought this was a joke but it is real.

But I'm not sure why some "Arizona business owner" would pay for that.  But, of course, Sheriff Joe just has to be on the up and up, right?
at 3:31 PM

Get Me This Dog Who Loves Tennis . . .



. . . or the Australian Open . . . or Maria Sharapova.  
at 2:30 PM

A Story That Is Not A Story


I've seen this story popping up in places today and some people are expressing shock. A Texas lawmaker has proposed a bill that would allow teachers to use deadly force in self defense against students. And the bigger headline is that the bill allows deadly force to be used to protect school property.

I looked at the bill and guess what? It only says a teacher can use deadly force when any other person would be justified in doing so against anyone else under existing Texas law. It changes nothing. (You could replace "teachers" with "Republicans" and "students" with "Democrats" and that's the current state of the law right now, too. Hey, that would really get some headlines!)

What people should be shocked at is that Texas has for decades allowed for deadly force to be used in some situations to protect property.
at 1:07 PM

It's "Texas Muslim Capitol Day" . . . And Some Don't Seem To Like It







Freshman state Rep. Molly White, R-Belton, is not in Austin today to celebrate Texas Muslim Capitol Day. But she left instructions for the staff in her Capitol office on how to handle visitors who are, including asking them to declare allegiance to the U.S.
"I did leave an Israeli flag on the reception desk in my office with instructions to staff to ask representatives from the Muslim community to renounce Islamic terrorist groups and publicly announce allegiance to America and our laws," she posted on Facebook. "We will see how long they stay in my office."
Story. 
What an odd, odd lady.  She's also had two abortions but don't want others to have that option. 

at 10:41 AM

"Lesson Learned"


Random pic of Wise County Courthouse guestbook.

He might have come back to relive the moment and to send a message that things are so much different now. Good for him.
at 9:00 AM

You Normally Think "Impaled" Refers To A Person




But that car is impaled.
at 8:49 AM

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts


  • The Super Bowl was in Dallas a few years back and we had a week long ice storm. And now we have this week with near perfect weather. 
  • There was a Senate confirmation hearing yesterday for Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch. I kept hearing that news story and thinking Loretta "Lynn" all day yesterday. There's has to be some clever word play on Coal Miner's Daughter, right?
  • Goofball and Tea Party darling Jonathan Stickland has already been named to a "Worst Legislator" list. 
  • "The future of work will be Time Arbitrage  you will get paid by people who can earn more from your time than you can." - Mark Cuban on Twitter yesterday.  Even his fan boys called him out for stating an obvious truth that has been known for centuries. 
  • We receive a flyer for Coach purses from time to time addressed to "Ashley Green" at our address. I don't know an Ashley Green. Mrs. LL will cock an eyebrow and has begun to suspect I'm buying some gal named Ashley purses on the side. (Note to Ashley: Can we keep this on the downlow?) 
  • Sports: (1)  Wade Phillips somehow got a job with the Denver Broncos. (2). I've not watched one Mavs game this year but from what I heard there will be a lot of people joining me if they keep it up. (3) After just recovering from an Achilles injury, an aging Kobe Bryant is out for the year with a shoulder injury. He will make $23.5 million this year and $25 million next year. (4) Of all 22 starters in the Super Bowl this week, none were ranked "5 stars" coming out of high school. 
  • A University Park "mother of five" is upset that a non-fiction book, The Working Poor: Invisible in America, is being used in a high school English class. She calls it "socialist" and "Marxist."  Anyone have a picture of her? I have a stereotypical image in my head, and I prefer to deal in facts. 
  • The Decatur School Board killed new turf from a possible bond proposal. The battle continues. 
  • The guy shot by police in Sunset yesterday on the Montague/Wise County line had warrants out of Tarrant County. But I don't see even a mention of it in the Star-Telegram this morning. That seems odd. 
  • Yesterday I saw a black Dodge Charger on 287 with red and blue lights flashing in its grill. No markings were on it whatsoever. Anyone ever seen that? I'm assuming it was headed to Sunset. 
  • WBAP Hal Jay quote of the day about all press secretaries for Presidents of the U.S.: "They are all idiots." 
  • It is buried in this story, but today the Texas Historical Commission will vote on whether to give Wise County a historical marker for Machine Gun Kelley. As well as two others named "St. John the Baptizer Catholic Church" and "Lake Bridgeport WWII Training Site". 
  • "Every time travel movie ranked." (I noticed Mrs. LL had recorded Somewhere in Time which was a huge player with the girls back when I was in high school.) 

at 8:38 AM

1.28.2015

Police Shooting of Man In Montague County (May Involve Wise County Troopers)



A police dog was also killed. Always hate the death of a puppy dog. RIP Pepper.

But a very odd report as the news was breaking: "Now what we know through our experience and you as viewers here at the station -- is that a K-9 dog is a police officer. If you assault a canine dog you are assaulting a police officer. And that would take deadly force into response." - Steve Eager, Fox 4 News with a tortured attempted explanation of the Texas Penal Code of which I was not aware.


at 5:51 PM

The Internet Is So Evil

Mrs. LL and I are thinking about having some tile put down in place of carpet in a room or two and she sent me a link from Home Depot in a Gmail message. I clicked on it.

A few days later I looked on Facebook (which I rarely do) and the same tile she had referred to in the Gmail shows up as an ad on the side.


Yeah, I've seen stuff happen like this before and I know if can be done with "cookies", but it is still weird.
at 2:31 PM

The Criminal Justice System Is Getting Out Of Control




These special prosecutors are stealing from the State.

Defense lawyers for Perry have already billed him over $1 million which is mind boggling and, in my opinion, close to a robbery of whatever PAC is paying for it.

(And, yes, I agree the prosecution is beyond ridiculous.)
at 12:00 PM

"I Will No Longer Tinker With The Machinery Of Death" *


The DA in San Antonio announced that he (and his staff) will not seek the death penalty against a suspect accused of killing a cop.

I don't have a problem with the decision, because the death penalty needs to be abolished outright. But what a crazy system we currently have. A DA has the right, without any oversight or rules, to decide whether someone lives.   Truly.  If this DA had sought the death penalty, we can't rule out the fact that he might have received it from a jury. But it he doesn't ask for it(based upon whatever reason he wants), it cannot happen.

One guy. A government worker. He can decide to shield a man from death. Heck, it's a one man death panel.

And for the life of me, I don't know how to fix it. Other than to abolish the death penalty option all the way around.
______
* Words from the greatest dissent in the history of the Supreme Court.
at 10:09 AM

This Really Is Amazing


Not an opinion of the law about Open Carry. But it is just shocking that so many states allow you to walk around with a handgun without a permit or a license.
at 9:41 AM

Nerdy Kicking Stat


Source.

We've come a long way since when we thought this was next to impossible. (With a straight on kicker with half a foot.)

at 9:15 AM

Budweiser Going Back To The Dog Theme For 2015 Super Bowl

at 8:42 AM

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts


  • Breaking: Word on the street is that the surprisingly upstart Bridgeport High School basketball team is about to be hit with a couple of player suspensions. It's unconfirmed, but I trust my source.
  • And, remember, I grew up on the mean streets of Bridgeport. #Connected
  • Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks appeared at media day yesterday during Super Bowl week and answered 29 questions with the answer, "I'm here so I won't get fined." (He's not a fan of the media.) But that was the most entertaining interview of the hundreds/thousands of other interviews what will occur this week. 
  • I've heard on the news that the subway system in New York City was shut down for the first time ever in anticipation of the (not) blizzard that hit yesterday.  It wasn't shut down on 9/11?
  • There were 125 criminal exonerations in the U.S. last year -- an all time high. And that doesn't scratch the surface of the damage unethical and/or incompetent prosecutors have caused. 
  • Oh, and Texas prosecutors have taken $486 million from people in "civil forfeitures" in the last decade. (Remember that's one of the reasons why Wise County got its reputation of being corrupt in the 1980s.) Shockingly, the prosecutors get to keep a share of the forfeiture proceeds.  How conservatives don't care about this issue is a mystery to me.
  • Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said yesterday that "Open Carry" probably didn't have enough votes to pass. I haven't heard the response from the bill's sponsor, Jonathan Stickland, but I'm guessing it is something along the lines of, "Ok, daddy." 
  • But our own (and basically absentee) State Sen. Craig Estes filed a bill on Friday that would authorize open carry of modern handguns in Texas by anyone with a license, so long as the handguns are carried in shoulder or belt holsters. Why are we so obsessed with clinging to guns all of a sudden? 
  • I don't know if it made the print issue, but People magazine's website has reported on the missing dogs from Wise County. They cite many media sources but the Messenger is not one of them.
  • It's going to be 80 degrees today. 80.
  • I now know why I had to initially rescue Family Pup #2 from the middle of the road. That dog is dumb. Loveable, but dumb. (I'll get up in the morning and go down stairs, return, and she begins to growl and bark at me like she's never seen me before. Or she's barking because she wants to be petted. Either way, the dog ain't right.)  Edit: Someone asked if she might have an eye problem. I've thought about that. I've performed the very technical test of "OK, dog, follow my finger" and she passed. But I'm not ruling that issue out. 
  • Only one person will understand this: "Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters" was on Hannity last night and went off on a rant against Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl (the guy who left his post in Afghanistan). Peters came across as someone who needs to go through anger management (Hannity even seemed taken aback). But he is probably just looking for a gig on Fox News. So angry. So old. So white. Heck, he might get the job.  (Here is the clip all cued up.)
  • I'll actually watch the Golf Channel this week only to see footage of the 16th hole at the Phoenix Open -- the craziest scene of any golf event. 
  • My assistant at work (who does a great job by the way) told me yesterday that she reads Random Thoughts so she'll know what kind of mood I'm in. That's funny. 
  • I'm an early riser. A very early riser. And yet I'm still stunned when I see elementary school kids get on a bus at 7:00 a.m. Getting up that early is fine for old men like me (we like to brag about it), but I'm not sure about kids doing the same. 


at 8:32 AM

1.27.2015

Overly Detailed Medical Examiner's Summary


One of the oddest local sites on the Internet is the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's web page. There they list all the autopsies they perform and the results thereof. If you ever read about a death in Tarrant County and "then name of the deceased has not been released", most reporters know just to monitor that site because the name will soon appear.

This screenshot was sent to me, presumably, because of my longstanding position that a motorcycle will get you killed.  Or it might have been sent because that description is uncomfortably detailed. Normally it was say something like "motor vehicle accident."

Chisholm Trail Parkway is the new tollway which heads south out of Tarrant County. I have no idea if this death resulted from a high speed death, but I mentioned to Mrs. LL the other day when we were on the new North Tarrant Express toll road that it would be perfect for those high speed bikes. I hope we don't see this trend.

at 1:19 PM

You Want A Job?




Am I missing something? Are there any DA related jobs in that link? I not, this tweet is the equivalent of "You want a job? Take a hike."

And the fact that every single Assistant DA position is taken in an office which has to be a miserable place to work, uh, "speaks volumes."  If you ever wanted proof there is a glut of lawyers, here you have it.
at 11:03 AM

I Don't Know Why I Think This Is Funny



I don't care about basketball. Certainly don't care about nerf basketball. And I have no idea who this couple is.

But, man, does she dunk on him. Even tears the backboard off the wall. (If she didn't demand that he call her "Ms. Shaq" after that, she missed an opportunity to humiliate him even more.)

(Sidenote: As a kid I had a nerf hoop in my room, and I'd play on that thing it all day long. I even had tournaments against make believe teams where I'd play for both teams. Miraculously, the team I always wanted to win just happen to win. I think it had something to do with the fake Celtics just happening to shoot 10 foot jumpers all the time, while the fake Lakers tended to dump it underneath to the fake Abdul-Jabbar who liked to do a sky hook from one foot away.)
at 10:59 AM

Old Index (Which Probably Should Have Been Posted Around Christmas)



  • I like Shootin' Blind when it has hot political opinions. Stand up comedy? Not so much.
  • Another beauty pageant! (I would end up dating her little sister back in the day. Well, that is, if riding over to her house on a bicycle constitutes dating.) 
  • Anyone know who that crying kid is? 
  • Burglaries by going through the roof seems like a dicey proposition. But those guys were right out of Ocean's 11.
at 10:24 AM

"And Another" Allegedly Doesn't Understand Recidivism

Link.
at 9:00 AM

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts



  • I was watching Aerial America last night (maybe my favorite show ever) which was featuring Oregon. I had no idea that a Japanese submarine off the West coast fired upon Fort Stevens during World War II.
  • And I discovered last night that the narrator for Aerial America is the professional voice for promos on the Ticket: Jim Conrad. I'd love to have a job as a voice guy. 
  • I often say I'm no longer a music fan but I stumbled upon 91.7 FM where I heard, for the first time in two decades, Elton John's Madman Across the Water followed by the Cranberries Linger and then some new stuff which was pretty cool. Anyone else familiar with this station?
  • Music note #2: I heard a review of Billy Joel's concert he had in Dallas last week in a sold out AAC. He was described as energetic and engaging with the crowd during a two hour show.  For a guy who hasn't put out a new record in twenty years, that's pretty impressive.
  • The President's approval rating is rising. And fast. That's unheard of for a lame duck president entering his final two year.
  • Attorneys for Kaufman ex-JP Eric Williams want a new trial for the convicted killer, saying that his “brain is broken” and that newly discovered “brain damage” could have changed the outcome of his trial. His lawyers might should have thought about that before the trial.
  • "During a lecture at the University of Florida on Jan. 20, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens acknowledged evidence that proved 'beyond a shadow of doubt' that Texas executed an innocent man in the 1980s." That seems like it should be pretty big news. (You can spend more than a day exploring the case he was referring to here. I found that link a couple of years ago and was fascinated.)
  • “[There has not been] a single case – not one – in which it is clear that a person was executed for a crime he did not commit. If such an event had occurred… the innocent’s name would be shouted from the rooftops.” - Justice Antonin Scalia in 2006.
  • The Messenger seems miffed that their "missing dogs" story went national but they aren't getting any credit. That's understandable. 
  • I've been a long time critic of Sport's Illustrated's Peter King because I think he has a big bag of nothing and is a lap dog for the NFL. He's had a 10 minute show on the Ticket this fall year, and I've noticed that when he has a hot sport's take he will preface it every time with "I think" or "In my opinion." That gives him wiggle room. 
  • Speaking of the NFL: News came out yesterday where they might be in possession of a video showing a ball boy for the Patriots removing the balls from the field in Deflategate. They are able to obtain that video within 10 days but couldn't get a hold of the Ray Rice video of him beating his wife? 
  • "Do you mind if I un-invite you to Arkansas for this weekend?" - Mrs. LL last night. (The Sixth Grader In The House didn't want to make the college visit trip with the Junior In The House so I now get to stay home and babysit.) 
  • American Airlines, which went through bankruptcy,  had a record net profit in 2014 of $4.2 billion which is up 115% from 2013. In 2003, when the airline was on its knees due to 9/11, I bought some stock in it as it plummeted. Those shares are now up a mind boggling 1,564%.  The problem is that I bought very, very few shares. (And for every hit like that, I've got an equal -- or more -- number of misses.) 
  • I'm not sure I understand the first item in the Update other than to learn Wise Regional Hospital seems to be getting deep into the nursing home business.
  • Based upon the news coverage last night, I'll be stunned if anyone in the Northeast is alive this morning after the snow storm. (CNN had a reporter running around in "Blizzardmobile".)


at 8:37 AM

1.26.2015

Greatest Thief In The History Of Ever

at 2:00 PM

He Will Not Be Featured in "Catch Me If You Can, Part 2"


at 1:00 PM

Chicago Bears QB Had A Bad Parenting Day

 The wife:
 Jay Cutler:
Story
at 12:37 PM

Does MADD Invest In Ignition Interlock Companies?



GRAPEVINE — It’s been 10 years since Texas changed its drunken-driving laws, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving says that’s why Texas leads the nation in DWI deaths.

Really?  Let's look at Texas law.

  • A 90 day driver's license suspension for providing a breath or blood sample over .08 even before a DWI case is filed. 
  • A 180 day suspension for refusing to provide a sample.
  • The cops have the right to take your blood without your consent after completing a fill-in-the-blank search warrant affidavit.
  • A person is subject to at least $3,000 in "administrative fees" to Texas after a conviction regardless of what the punishment was in criminal court.
  • Also, an ignition interlock device is required if a person receives a probation and had a blood alcohol concentration of at least .15.
  • An ignition interlock device is required if a person receives a probation of a DWI-Second. 
  • An ignition interlock device can be required immediately after the arrest as a condition of bond. 
  • You can receive up to a $2,000 fine for a first offense.
  • You can receive up to 180 days in jail for a first offense. 
So our laws aren't tough enough? That's why we lead the nation in DWI deaths? Could it possibly be because we are a big state? 

I'd love to see MADD's financial statements. 
at 12:30 PM

Let's All Sign Up To Be A Teacher



Background.
at 11:00 AM

It's All About Priorities, People


Story.


at 11:00 AM

First It Was Rene Zellweger Who Was Unrecognizable


Now it's Zack Galifianakis.

Story.
at 10:00 AM

Random Tribute To Lynda Carter



Random facts: She's a former Miss World USA (very confusing title) and once found a dead body in the Potomac river.
at 9:00 AM

My Twitter Timeline Can Be Disconcerting


at 8:45 AM

Random Monday Morning Thoughts



  • You know, I made fun of the False Flag people in connection with the razing of the house of the shooter of Sandy Hook elementary. And I still will. But it is weird that they are tearing down a perfectly good house. I mean, it's worth something, right? Heck, I'd buy it if the price was low. 
  • "You walk into any Republican Club and quite frankly, the real challenge it to find someone there under 50, please." - Mark Davis on his radio show last Friday. (And, after going back and listening to his show, he absolutely believes that Chris Kyle killed two car-jackers. Note to Davis: You believe stuff like that and I question everything you say.)
  • Can no one tell the truth? Hannity had Chris Kyle's father on his "special" show on Friday night and the father spoke of Kyle shooting the young boy which is featured in the first scene of American Sniper. But Kyle never even said or wrote that he did such a thing. Incredible. 
  • One more thought on that Hannity show: Why do we come to the defense of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and scream "Free Speech" but get outraged when Michael Moore or other celebrities criticize American Sniper? (Hannity, during the show, suggested putting Moore in a room with five Navy Seals. That's promoting violence because of certain speech.)
  • Nothing is more of a time waste than an interview with a player in a professional sport.
  • Troy Aikman seems angry over the last month. Very angry. I wonder if something is going on.
  • I hope I live long enough to see history judge the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. History will not be kind.
  • College football recruiting: A kid committed Texas flipped to Auburn over the last few days and then "Snapchatted" a photo of himself holding a wad of cash. Edit: Link fixed.
  • Grand Prairie police arrested two people for driving while intoxicated early Sunday after three back-to-back car crashes into unoccupied police cars. 
  • New York City is expected to get hit with a record blizzard today and tomorrow. When I heard that last night, I thought that if I were rich I'd hop in a plane and find a hotel as close to Central Park as I could. And then I'd walk and walk this afternoon.  (And when I'm on my deathbed, I'll ask myself, "Why didn't you?")
  • The greatest NFL receiver that never was, Josh Gordon, is facing a ban of one year for failing another drug test. And the drug he tested for? Alcohol.   Worst. Player's. Union. Ever. 
  • We crowned a New Miss Universe over the weekend. Is that the most presumptuous title ever? (The winner was Miss Colombia Paulina Vega.) Edit: Saw this after I wrote that. 
  • There were protestors in the Supreme Court on Thursday objecting to the silly Citizen's United decision which allows the rich to buy elections.  I thought it was cool that there was an "artist's rendering" of the event but was surprised to see there was cell phone footage. (Those security folks needed to lighten up on that first lady.)
  • Teacher suspended for supporting "And another."
  • From the Update: "FREEDOM TEXAS – Freedom Texas will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in the meeting room at Pizza Hut, 501 S. Washburn St., in Decatur. This is a group that educates people about the sovereignty, security and self-sufficiency of Texas and promotes its eventual independence." Let's guess the average age and race of the attendees. 



at 8:39 AM
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