Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• The founder of the Texas Tribune is considering creating a competitor to the Star-Telegram. The Star-Telegram reporters responded. 
• The Decatur Eagles won again last night before a sparse crowd (a Thursday road trip to Lubbock ain't easy), and were rewarded with the next game being in Jerry World on Friday. What a treat. Heck, any adult would be giddy about playing just a flag-football game there. 
• Interesting legal question. It all started with a screwed up arrest of a lady who then began to criticize the sheriff's office on Facebook. It hurt the sheriff's feelings so he blocked her. 
  
• After the Bridgeport girls basketball team's bus accident last week, stories like this make me do a double take.
  
• Text Me Merry Christmas feat. Kristen Bell is a thing?
• Kevin Hart was named host of the Oscars and then  backed out 48 hours later because of being a horrible comedian past homophobic tweets.
  
• There was a Maserati parked at the Wise County courthouse yesterday. Obviously an out-of-towner. And to make things confusing, the only thing going on was a misdemeanor criminal docket. No one associated with those things could afford (or want) a Maserati. 
• Fox Business had to apologize for a Congressman firing off anti-Semitism yesterday. That Congressman was from Texas who would easily win an award for Most Likely To Fire Off Anti-Semitic Opinions. 

                                              

• An Ohio woman was arrested in a Walmart for shoplifting. I'm guessing that's not high on her list of problems. 

                                             

• This is pretty interesting: A New York Times probability calculator for the Cowboys making the playoffs based upon how they do in their last four games. You can mix and match. Spoiler alert: If they win on Sunday they are very likely to be in regardless of what they do the next three games.  Lose on Sunday and they are likely out.
  
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• Trump is normally briefed in the evening by the Justice Department when the Special Counsel is going to make noteworthy court filings the next day, so let's check in on Trump's mental health: He has six tweets since late last night about the Russian probe, and this tweet of paranoia at 10:08 p.m. EST. Thirty-nine minutes later CNN had to evacuate its New York headquarters because of a bomb threat of five devices. 
  
• I can find any updates on it, but right now in Vegas there is a guy in a completely dark room (with a toilet and a fridge without a light) who will win $100,000 if he can remain there for 30 days. Details here. If he can't make it, he owes $100,000. There is no way I would get involved in that. The sensory deprivation with no concept of time would drive me insane within a week. 
• Here are your Top 10 movies for 2018 as the year wraps up. It's proof that the days of the traditional movie are over. 
  
• I kept seeing Roger Stone show up in the news about the Russian probe, and I was ashamed that  I really didn't know anything about him. So I've started watching the 2017 documentary Get Me Roger Stone on Netflix. He may be the most fascinating and corrupt political consulting nutcase I've ever heard about. I had no idea he was such a big player from way back.
  
• Delta has started using facial recognition software for check-ins at Atlanta's airport. Get ready. Once technology hits a tipping point, it will be everywhere in the blink of an eye.