I Don't Know What I'm Looking At But Oddly Entertained

Full Video:

It's The Weekend: Let's Get Out Of Here

Decatur Is Possessed

Middle of the afternoon, a storm forms over Decatur, and a crack of thunder just rocked the town.

A Decatur Middle School Had An Unfortunate Typo Yesterday

That was what was eventually posted.

The first one posted, which was quickly deleted, was exactly the same except for one letter.  What are the chances of someone taking a screenshot and sending it to me for, uh, grins?

Link. (Bad word warning! Bad word warning!)

Hey, social media person, let me paraphrase Tony Romo by saying that if that's the worst mistake you ever have, you've had a pretty good life.

Legal Smackdown Avoided

I always take a look at opinions issued by the Fort Worth Court of Appeals, but I rarely read their civil case opinions since I don't practice in that area. For some reason, I clicked on one this morning because the trial court had been reversed.

Pretty boring stuff. A guy gets hurt. A guy sues. There is a trial. After the injured guy finishes his case, the defendant asks the judge to throw the case out because he hadn't proved anything at all. The judge agreed. Now the injured worker appeals.

However, this got my attention:

 

Whoa!!  It's one thing to ask the case to thrown out because it hasn't been proven, but throwing in that the injured guy is an "illegal" is something else. Whatever your views are on illegal immigration, that was not a legal basis to have the case thrown out. When I saw the [2] at the end of it, it meant there was a footnote and I expected the court would take the lawyer to task. Nope. It was just legal stuff.

But after ruling in favor of the injured guy, they weren't going to let that comment go unnoticed. In a later footnote they said:

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• A few weeks back I referenced a criminal case that was reversed because an idiot judge jailed a potential juror in front of the whole jury panel.  I had no idea that the case, even though originating in Galveston, involved a former Wise County gal. 
• The Coaches Poll, which admittedly means nothing, has TCU #2 and Baylor #4. As a lifelong college football fan, I never dreamed there would be a possibility of seeing those two schools in a preseason Top Five.  And it's terrible that TCU and Baylor play in the last game of the year. The chances of either, or both, being unbeaten by that time is slim. It would have been much better to have met in the first week of October. 
• It's a blue moon tonight. I'd like to announce I was stopped by the courthouse once when Messenger reporters were doing a "Ask the man on the street" bit and the question was, "What is a blue moon?" I had shake voice as I, fortunately, answered correctly. 
• The last thing Sundance Square wants: Two groups get in a fight last night, cops are called, and a cop kills a guy.  (Random thought: Don't all Fort Worth cops have body cams now?) 
• Donald Trump wants to deport every illegal alien  but "we’re going to move ‘em back in if they’re really good people."  Brilliant!  And get your popcorn ready. The first debate is less than a week away!
• Talk radio was ranting about the City of Dallas renting out the convention center for the Exxotica convention arguing that the city could have denied the group permission. One guy argued that the Klan certainly would have been denied a permit.  I've never researched that issue, but I'm not so sure about that. Whenever a city discriminates who they rent to based upon the content of the group's message, the city is on shaky ground.  
• "Texas trooper's boss says there was no reason to pull over Sandra Bland." Wow!!! I clicked on that Fox News story only to see that the headline was totally wrong. The first sentence of the AP story underneath it reads: "AUSTIN, Texas –  The top boss over the Texas trooper who arrested Sandra Bland said there was reason to pull her over for failing to signal a lane change and told lawmakers Thursday that the trooper remains on the state payroll because the investigation is still playing out." (I've saved screenshots if they correct it). 
• That "top boss" is DPS head Steve McCraw who was grilled in that hearing by Tea Party Darling Jonathan Stickland: "For a lot of people, it’s pretty cut-and-dry what happened,” said Stickland, who said he has watched the dash-cam video of Bland’s arrest multiple times. “Somebody’s liberties were stomped on.”
• From office to home, the amount of money I spend on TV, Internet, and Phones is astronomical. I have to be doing something wrong.
• I'll confess I didn't post a few abortion comments left under the Dead Lion post yesterday. First, it was a post about a lion. Secondly, it's just a weird logic. 
• The backstop project is substantially complete but we've got one problem: With the heat and schedules and lack of motivation from all of us, the Seventh Grader In The House has yet to go full test mode on it. 
• This accurately depicts how I put Random Thoughts together every morning.

The Dentist, The Lion, The Talk Show, and The Bible

I was disturbed when I saw this story regardless of whether the dentist did or did not know the lion had been coaxed off protected lands.  I just couldn't imagine shooting a lion.  But I figured there was at least some good reason to do so. You know, the same reasons that Texans give for deer and dove hunting.  I accept those.

So I was listening to the Mark Davis Show yesterday (podcast and it begins at the midway point) when a guy named "Jeff" from the Safari Club called in to justify lion hunting both "ethically and morally".  Ok, I'm about to learn something, I thought! However, he was beyond disturbing. He spoke of how lion hunting on a safari is the ultimate in a hunter's life (although the pinnacle for him is to kill an elephant with a compound bow. Nice.)

Here are some of the things he said:

• Lion hunting is "the sport of kings".  It will cost between $50,000 and $150,000.
• He readily acknowledges you can't eat the lion, it's just for a trophy. This is by far the most disturbing thing I heard -- there is no other reason to kill a lion. 
• "As a hunter you are able to fulfill a desire to hunt . . . one of the most noble creatures and one of the most dangerous." (Davis was pretty funny here when he told the guy that he's not dangerous to you if you don't hunt him.)
• Why do it? "Why would you climb Everest if you know you might die?"  
• "There are few adventures left in the is world."  After hunting all your life, the lion hunt is "truly exceptional" and you get to "match wits with one of the most dangerous, majestic creatures on earth." 
• He's on the lion's turf. "That lion can be on top of me in a matter of seconds." "When I'm out there with a bow, I might as well be out there with a stick and string."  (Yeah, you're a big underdog out there, buddy.) 
• Becoming out of breath, he says, "It is giving me a rush just thinking about it." 
• "There is something spiritual about hunting an animal with a bow." 

In essence, the killing of a lion is simply the ultimate rush for the bored, rich hunter. After you've done all the types of hunting you can think of, let's ratchet it up a notch and go further. Killing for killing's sake, and not for food or purpose, be damned.

I think that mentality is screwed up.  I couldn't help but think of what the mindset of a person would be after he had done the "ultimate" and killed a lion or elephant in Africa. What would be next? What else is there? And then it hit me because it was so obvious and it gave me chills: It's the exact plot of The Most Dangerous Game. 

Finally, let me turn to Mark Davis' reaction which was also shocking. After initially being skeptical to the concept of lion hunting, he finally began to "come around" and "understand" it even though it was not his "cup of tea". But how can it be justified? He said this:

"And the bottom line is that God has given us dominion over the animals and we can do this just because we want to."

I may have yelled out loud when I heard that.

I guess I'll get a bow and arrow and hunt the Family Dog in the back yard tonight. God has given me dominion over her. I can do it if I want to. And let me morally and ethically justify this act by telling you  it's the ultimate desire and sensation for me.

Ted Bundy probably felt the same way.

Mark Davis said there is nothing immoral about killing the lion. He even chastised a meek caller for even thinking that could be true.

Dear lord, Bless The Beasts and Children, indeed.*
_______
* The last four paragraphs were modified from the original posting. Why? I went back and listened to the show and got royally pissed off. Again.

Saw This On Facebook Last Night

That's 287 in Wise County and lots of people saw the same thing.

Anyone know anything about it?

That Was Almost A Moonwalk

WATCH: A man filling his car at a gas pump is nearly hit by an SUV skidding out of control http://t.co/UpKKKtEecj pic.twitter.com/Ci68535H1F

— NBC DFW (@NBCDFW) July 30, 2015

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• I may do a separate post on a caller to the Mark Davis Show who was a member of the Safari Club and who creepily explained that lion hunting was done solely because it was "the ultimate experience". Davis' embracing of him for Biblical reasons might have been even weirder. It's bugged me ever since I heard it. 
• There is, coincidentally, a new documentary on lion hunting called Blood Lions.
• Something criminal defense lawyers need to look at: There's a new opinion out of the Seventh Circuit which takes a very critical look at the reliability of "drug sniffing dogs".  In that case, the dog would "hit" on alleged drugs 93% of the time but was wrong 40% of the time. Loved this line: ""Lex is lucky the Canine Training Institute doesn't calculate class rank," a 15-page opinion said. "If it did, Lex would have been at the bottom of his class."
• The Wise County Sheriff's Office has a "Tactical Debriefing: K-9 Pepper Shooting" on September 9th at the Decatur Civic Center which is open to law enforcement but not the public. 
• An ad asking me to "Upgrade to Windows 10" is the equivalent of an ad asking me "Do you want to experience confusion and frustration?"
• Two new polls show Donald Trump is soaring. Delicious. 
• College Football is in the air: The USA Today Coaches Poll comes out in less than two hours. Sorry. Make that the Amway USA Today Coaches Poll. (And I just became giddy when I saw you can download the 2015 Big 12 Media Guide.)
• Gov. Bobby Jindal said that mayors of "sanctuary cities" should be held criminally responsible as accomplices for crimes committed by illegal aliens.  That's even crazier than something Trump would say. 
• During generic movie talk with a group yesterday, someone tried to help me identify an actress by telling me she was the "other girl" in the third Transformer movie. I didn't know I had a face that projected, "You really think there is in any chance in the world that is going to help me?", but I do. 
• I'm glad they found what will probably be determined to be the debris from the missing Malaysia airline, but if the wreckage provides no answers, I'd just as soon it remained a mystery of having vanished without a trace. 
• I haven't said anything about the two 14 year old boys missing in the ocean off the coast of Florida, but I echo what others have said: How in the world do you let them go out on a 19' boat by themselves?
• If you thought people liked the Cowboys, look at this crazy Vine of when they opened the gates at Patriots training camp. 
• I had a funny moment in the self checkout line late at night at the grocery store when I thought I scanned a bag of grapes (I heard a beep) but the "unidentified item" screen popped up. A young kid came over and told me they "don't scan anymore", and I'd have to enter the code 4066.  "How am I supposed to know that?" I asked. He replied, "You can just remember it next time." I did a very slow Archie Bunker head turn towards him which made him laugh.

Sports Illustrated Mentions Decatur and Bridgeport

In it's upcoming edition, the magazine will run a "whatever happened to" story about the stars of Friday Night Lights -- the book, not the movie.

The quarterback of the famous Odessa Permian team has been a long time Decatur resident, and he is the first one focused upon.

It's available online here.

Oh, and the locals may also know his sister:

Here We Go Again: Cop Just Indicted For Murder And Video Released

The last minute is when the killing occurs.

Hamilton County, Ohio prosecutor Joe Deters announced that a grand jury has indicted 25-year-old University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing on murder charges in the July 19 shooting death of 43-year-old Sam DuBose, an unarmed black man who had been pulled over because his car was missing a front license plate. Deters released body-camera video of the incident, during which Tensing and DuBose discuss whether DuBose has a valid drivers' license before they begin struggling and Tensing draws his gun and fires while the car rolls away. The gunshot can be heard on the video but it's difficult to see exactly what's happening at that moment because Tensing is moving.

I'm waiting for the first person to say, "Just comply with the police and this wouldn't have happened." Because, as we all know, if you start to move from a traffic stop, you deserved to be shot in the head.

I'm glad things like this didn't happen before there was video. What was the first MTV video? "Video Killed The Radio Star"?  From humble beginnings to exposing corruption and lies.

He's Not Spyder Man

Karma.

(But what's up with the video editing?)

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• We have a dead baby giraffe at the Dallas Zoo but you would have thought we had a national tragedy last night.  Fox 4's Clarice Tinsley reading viewer comments about the death was surreal. Or surreally typical.
• In case you missed it, the Rangers lost 21-5 last night after giving up 11 runs in the second inning. 28,000 paid to see it with the temperature at 98 degrees at game time. Count me out.
• Heard a segment on the radio yesterday about the Doobie Brothers suing a tribute band named The Doobie Decibel System.  First, that's the greatest name ever. Secondly, couldn't every band sue a tribute band for playing its songs and making money off of them? 
• I saw the headline that Donald Trump's lawyer had said a person cannot sexually assault a spouse and assumed it had been made decades ago by some old coot.  Nope, it was just made by a guy in his 40s. 
• Sidenote: I had completely forgotten about Ivana. Double sidenote: I had almost forgotten about Marla Maples. 
• "Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings sided with critics this week in calling himself 'deeply concerned' that the Dallas Convention Center will play host to sex expo Exxxotica."  I'd be deeply concerned about Dallas' 32,345 potholes.
• So many amateur legal experts on the Sandra Bland case. Among erroneous statements I've heard are: (1) They have to tell you why you are being arrested. (2) They can't make you get out of a car. (3) They have to read you your rights.  Police rights during a traffic stop are shockingly comprehensive. But one of the greatest questions is this: Can a cop ask you to put out your cigarette.  No one knows the answer to that. I can think of scenarios where it would absolutely be justified and others where it has no relation to the traffic stop (especially as it is coming to its conclusion.)  But my blood did boil when the trooper barked: "That's a lawful order!!!!" when she refused to put out the cigarette. 
• The concept of saying "Thank you" is completely lost on a lot of people these days.
• Along those lines: Hey, buddy, if I slow down or take action while driving which allows you access to where you want to go, how about a simple acknowledgment with a hand wave? 
• Wise County Commissioners were told that the county's health insurance provider paid out 17% more in health care costs than it received in premiums. There's a right way to do these things and that is not it. 
• Who is behind the commercial telling us to contact our Congressman to oppose the Iran Nuclear Deal.  I keep meaning to catch the sponsor, but have failed so far.  Any chance it is a very pro-Israel group?
• Vacation did not need to be remade. However, the car commercial with the original Rusty driving down the highway with Christie Brinkley as his wife is gold. Edit: I stand corrected. The commercial has Rusty from Vegas Vacation. 
• That weird Waco PD spokesperson who was blaming Twin Peaks while the dead bodies were still warm has announced he is running for Sheriff. 

Weird Tweet Of The Day

Infuriating lack of contrition from #TomBrady is s huge barrier to forgiveness. He needs to hit his knees and get right.

— Mark Davis (@MarkDavis) July 29, 2015

• Let's begin with this: Tom Brady has been one of the leading reasons the NFL has, and is, earning billions.  He is not pleased with a four game suspension that the commissioner handed out and who, after an appeal to the same commissioner, affirmed his own decision today. 
• That commissioner earned $44 million in 2012 and $35 million in 2013 from the NFL. Money earned because of people who now suffer lifelong complications from injuries. 
• More importantly, the four game suspension is twice as long as what the commissioner originally gave violent woman-beater-in-an-elevator Ray Rice. And it is equal to the suspension currently assessed against Cowboy Greg Hardy. 
• The Wells Report found Brady "guilty" under a standard of "more probable than not". OK. That's the general civil standard in America so that's an appropriate burden of proof for the NFL. But what exactly was found to be likely true?: "Tom Brady was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities of [the ball boys] involving the release of air from Patriots game balls.”  What does that even mean?  Heck, I'm generally aware that there will probably be a murder in the metroplex tonight committed by others.
• Now to this tweet by Davis over what happened in an NFL game. Brady needs to "hit his knees" and "get right"? I had no idea God was interested in Deflategate. (I wonder what He thinks of the Dez "no catch"?) 
• And what's Brady supposed to say? "Dear Lord, forgive me for probably being generally aware of the PSI of footballs. And please bless those tonight who are starving in Africa." 
• And Davis finds Brady's attitude "infuriating". 

Dentist Is About To Feel Internet's Wrath

Story.

That's enough to make me anti-dentite.

Edit: Hey, here are other acts of his bravery!!

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• One odd and sad thing about the Sandra Bland case is that she couldn't afford a bond fee of $500 to $1,000 so she remained in jail.
• Yes, I saw the DA released the toxicology report which showed Bland had marijuana in her system. I'm not sure how that's relevant unless there's a list somewhere of people committing suicide after smoking a joint. 
• I haven't heard whether the trooper in the Bland case will even receive a reprimand for his unprofessional conduct from much maligned DPS Director Steve McCraw.  Recall that McCraw, when he's not involved in his own controversies, was very upset with a trooper who posed with Snoop Dogg a few months ago. 
• Weird Dallas story: A guy gets in a one car wreck in the middle of the afternoon, calls his sister to tell what happened, and then vanished.
• I've tried to lay off my "ads disguised as news" rants, but it really is fascinating. I was watching the end of Fox News Sunday and after the round table, they ran a three minute segment on Marriott hotels. It was nothing more than a "story" about how the founder had a vision, how well the company is doing, and the many brands they now work under.  
• The "Open Carry" new law may have a "flaw" (depending on your views.) As written, a prosecutor's office, a probation department, or a clerk's office cannot ban openly carried handguns by a CHL holder. (That may come as a shock to my buddies across the street.)  However, since a ban is allowed for  the premises of a "government court" and the "offices" of that court, one DA has asked the Texas Attorney General if the ban can apply for the entire court building even if it houses a clerk or prosecutor's office.  That is very relevant for the Wise County courthouse and almost all Texas courthouses. (But since the Wise County Clerk and Probation Department are in standalone buildings, they seem to be out of luck.) Here is the letter asking for the AG opinion which is really informative. 
• The Ticket afternoon show mocked UT coach Charlie Strong for laughing earlier in the day (a little too much) when asked the question, "Of all the places you coached, which fans have the greatest expectations?" He was laughing because he was thinking, "You want me to give an answer of anything other than 'Texas' fans? You know what that would mean?"
• Fox 4's Steve Noviello had video last night of him confronting a lady in a hotel that she had rented with his credit card number.  It was cheesy yet riveting -- Is this sweeps time again?  I did roll my eyes at the end of the segment when Noviello was complimented by Heather Hays for keeping his cool during the confrontation. After plastering the lady's image on their show for six minutes, Noviello said he didn't think he needed to "belittle" her. 
• Back to UT, BagOfNothing mentioned today that former great Jamaal Charles competed in the Special Olympics as a child. He wondered why and did some research. Made me wonder if BON ever heard the high school interview of Charles by Rick Renner at an all-star game. (It's on youtube but has offensively been visually tricked up.) 
• Very random front page below but the "Speeders Beware" headline got my attention. There is a reference to "grant money" from TxDOT for this program ("Operation Lead Foot" perhaps?) which will be used to pay for overtime for the cops. That pays for 45% of the overtime the officers will receive conditioned on the city agreeing to pay an additional 55% in overtime. So state and local government agree to pay a huge chunk of overtime pay to government employees to write speeding tickets which will generate more government money. Of course, all of this is to make "the roads safer." (I'm pretty sure this is the TxDOT "Step Program" which has been implemented in Wise County in the past.) 

Manager In Florida Had A Jerry Springer Situation Going On

As always, we at Liberally Lean do not condone violence. But this one is almost educational.

Buddy, that was a serious act of courage to stand between your wife and your girlfriend. But next time: Run. Even George Strait knows it's natural to lose a wife and girlfriend somewhere along the way.
I absolutely love Buford T. Justice just strolling in to break it up. And, I'll be dang, he did it (the stroll and the breaking up) perfectly.
I do have one complaint: He didn't shoot the guy filming who kept yelling "World Star!" That would have been justified.

I Wonder If It Was Cousin Eddie

This is from last week, but I just got around to watching it. She gives an explanation about the fire at the 1:50 mark.

Loved the, "I don't want to mention no names" part.  I bet every one of her other cousins appreciated that.

Get Me These Swimming Dogs!

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• There was a ton of employee "buyouts" at the Dallas Morning News on Friday and one was my frequent target: Steve Blow. 
• Lots of fire trucks around a plane at DFW this morning, but I don't know what is going on yet. 
• I remembered this weekend how much I love the voice of Alison Krauss, and then it dawned on me I had never heard a single song off her fairly recent album with the odd match of Robert Plant.
• I felt a little weird physically so I went to the Internet for a self-diagnosis. Within 10 minutes I was pretty much convinced I had a terminal illness. I'm guessing that happens a lot. 
• I kept hearing people say that there have been 3,000 murders by illegal immigrants in Texas over the last six years. I'd didn't think there was any way that could be true.  Quick research reveals that it isn't true, and that Rick Perry started the ball rolling on that misinformation last year, 
• Golfer Jordan Spieth turns 22 day and already has $18.4 million in winnings. 
• I read a Texas Monthly article over the weekend about the 35th Anniversary of Urban Cowboy.  For the first few years I dismissed that movie completely but grew to consider it to be an iconic classic. Love that script. (And I had completely forgotten that Debra Winger had previously played Wonder Woman's little sister on TV. )
• Trump got more love than I expected on the weekend TV news shows. And his poll numbers remain strong. 
• TABC actually conducted "Operation Bottoms Up" to investigate whether bars were selling cheap liquor but representing it to be top shelf stuff. One place busted was a Euless strip club. I couldn't help but think how we have government employees whose job it was to got to a topless bar to test the quality of drinks. 
• I haven't been to the Wise County Reunion in years, and I'm curious if teenagers attending it today just walk around looking at their phones. 
• Norm Hitzges on The Ticket has pondered on the air a couple of times regarding his current status in life after decades of being on the radio (and traveling to some great places.)   Both times he had a heartfelt thought of, "Time. I realize there is no longer enough time to do all I wanted to do. And we have no control over time." 
• A "legal diva" reality TV star has died and her boyfriend arrested. (I had never heard of the Sundance Channel show called Loredana, Esq.) It would be too soon to point out that she was kinda hot or to inquire if the name "legal diva" is available. 
• Every time I see that "Farmer's Only" dating commercial I think it's a joke. 
• I had to do some impromptu body work on one of the Family Cars this weekend. Whenever you take out a drill and zip ties to get the job done, you know you have a problem. 

The Power of the Press, The Courage of Women, And Art.

Adam Moss is the best mag ed of my generation. Was always true, is still true. And this cover is #proof. pic.twitter.com/sBHEk5gxdT

— Evan Smith (@evanasmith) July 27, 2015

All rolled into one fantastic magazine cover.