11.16.2018

It's Friday. Let's Get Out Of Here.
















at 2:00 PM

Random Friday Morning Thoughts



  • Who would have thought a massive pothole in a Decatur parking lot would make metroplex news? (Although that was a pretty funny bit planting a tree in it followed by the transformation into a Christmas tree.) I think KXAS was first, KRLD second, then WFAA and then the Star-Telegram. I would have thought that the pot hole being on private property would have taken some of the glossiness away from the story, but it didn't. 
                                       
        
  • I don't know what to think of Michael Avenatti's arrest, but this was funny: 
  • This guy used to work for the Morning News and is quite accomplished. Is exorcism really practiced by the Catholic Church? Seriously?
  • Whoa! I found an 0-10 team that made the playoffs. (How'd they make it? I have no idea.) Shallowater (10-0) played Tornillo (0-10) last night. They lost 63-0.
  • I'm skeptical of most GoFundMe campaigns and this news yesterday hasn't helped. You may remember the story of the homeless vet who used his last $20 to help a stranded lady.  Of course, a fund was started by the lady and her husband to help the guy. The first development came a few months back when the homeless guy sued the couple for withholding most of the money and spending some of it on themselves.  Then the stunner came yesterday when prosecutors say all three made the whole incident up and were in cahoots. 
  • I'd seriously tap the brakes on the "serial killer" being held in the Wise County jail who is in confession mode. (The story has gone national.) It's basically impossible to get away with one murder much less ninety.
  • Once again, I proved I was criminal legal and investigative genius yesterday by sniffing out the false story regarding the Parker County Deputy/Deer Stand Incident of 2018. But that B.S. story the Parker County Sheriff's Office is trying to now sell is a bigger scandal than the initial false report. 
    • “This incident was not an accidental discharge. It was a weapons malfunction from a concealed backup weapon which was secured and holstered on his person,” Sheriff Larry Fowler said to dispute any claims that the deputy just accidentally shot himself.  
    • Sheesh:
    • Since when does a gun just "go off" in a holster because of a malfunction? Ask that question to any cop or gun expert today. 
    • How was the question of "You didn't shoot yourself, did ya?" not the first thing that was was asked? He was shot in the foot. You might want to ask that question and check his weapon before a ridiculous two day "manhunt" occurred which even involved AT
    • At first, it was only the deputy who lost all credibility. Now the entire Sheriff's office is in jeopardy of not being trusted. That ain't good.
    • The Sheriff with a different gun which didn't mysteriously malfunction.
  • This is what happened this week when your regular guy makes a false report. "The problem is it pulls a lot of resources . . . . ” said Sgt. Chris Britt.
  • We've got a California Wild Fire Truther. (Thread.)
  • Ed Oliver out of the University of Houston may be the best defensive player in the country but he is a nutcase. He held himself out of last night's game (again) and some wonder if he is really hurt or just saving himself for the NFL. But it got a little nutty when Head Coach Major Applewhite, who is getting fed up with Oliver, told him to take off his coat on the sideline if he wasn't playing. Oliver went nuts, and then refused to rejoin the team in the second half. 
  • What time is the War on Christmas this year?
Any chance that Sam's story is a paid ad?



at 8:34 AM

11.15.2018

Emergency Update To Today's Random Thoughts!: I KNEW IT!




at 11:48 AM

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts




  • CNN sued Trump for revoking reporter Jim Acosta's press pass. Yesterday, Fox News said it will support CNN in the litigation and file a "friend of the court" brief. Up is down. Black is white. 
  • A Parker County deputy was allegedly shot while investigating a deer blind. Yesterday, his body cam video was released. The shooter is not seen on the tape. The deputy says he didn't see the shooter. I was prepared to speculate that the deputy accidentally shot himself but it appears there were two shots fired and the property owner was with the deputy. Still, something it wrong with that story. (Side note: The Sheriff thought the shooter might have used a silencer. How common is that?)
  • Cue the high tone orchestra music! I've been in every single one:
  • The hiring bonus (not salary) at private law firms for (the very young) Supreme Court clerks is $400,000. Associate justices are paid $235,000 a year, and the Chief Justice gets $267,000.
  • Anyone else bugged by the Chevy commercial where the guy just casually walks out into the driveway to show his wife the him-and-her vehicles he bought for Christmas? And how does not any wife yell, "Have you lost your mind?!"
  • Per the Messenger, "The Decatur Police yesterday afternoon reported during a test of the 911 system for Rann Elementary a message was sent in error to parents saying there was an active shooter. There was no active shooter." I don't know how the message was sent (text? email? social media?) or how quickly the error was retracted. I expect the answer to the second question is, "Pretty [expletive deleted] quick!"
  • There have been a couple of reporters on the Mueller investigation who have noticed a "sealed file" in federal court which has a ton of activity surrounding a subpoena. It is now at the D.C. Court of Appeals. Yesterday the following happened. A subpoena for Trump? (And Trump has returned to his "Witch Hunt" screaming this morning and also falsely claimed that Mueller "worked for Obama for eight years". Uh, that was George W. Bush.)
  • Four Mar-a-Lago members are Ambassadors now (we have a new one.) None are qualified.
  • A former Dallas Cowboy, Jeff Rohrer, is marrying a man. I don't care. I do care about perhaps the worst line in the history of ever from the story in the New York Times: "The man who once spent four quarters chasing quarterback Vince Ferragamo on a Sunday, will look like a million bucks on his wedding day thanks to Salvatore Ferragamo, which provided the midnight blue tuxedos that will be worn by both grooms." Ugh. Never before has Vince Ferragamo been shoehorned into a story.
  • In this weird case involving a killing in the Tarrant County Jail, I could see this defense working with some people.
  • I asked this question last year. BagOfNothing asked it months before I did:
  • Mark Cuban was on The Ticket this morning and grilled about the sexual harassment that went on at the Dallas Mavericks organization. He seemed to want no part of the questions. His basic mantra was "It's behind us." As to whether he personally knew what was going on?: He can "tell you the salary of every NBA player, but I wasn't involved in the business side [where the harassment took place]" and "The facts are the facts, and I don't care what people think or write" (whatever that means.) He actually said that he thought he was there to talk basketball, but "that's my mistake not yours."
  • Messenger: Above The Fold


at 8:36 AM

11.14.2018

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts



  • The words "cheap" and "Mexico" should have tipped her off. (That story is tragically insane):
  • This was a big case back in the day. (In a questionable legal move before trial, a change of venue was granted in Dallas and the case moved to conservative Kerrville. She got the death penalty.) But I swear back then the media referred to her as roo-TEE-air instead of  roo-TEAR as I'm hearing now. 
  • This is bizarre. The First Lady just fires off a public statement wanting the ouster of John Bolton's right hand gal instead of handling it in-house. The White House is in chaos.
  • (1) I was hoping it was Dr. Robert Jeffress. It wasn't. (2) Funny bit to include  goat yoga in the picture. That gives it a nice Old Testament feel.
        
  • Speaking of, Compare and Contrast: "Everything happens for a reason" with the very confusing "vivid evidence that our world is not as it was meant to be.":
                                             
  • I haven't checked them all, but I've found three high schools in Texas which are in the football playoffs with 1-9 records: Crosbyton, Chilton and Tioga.
  • The Messenger had quite the scoop about this guy being held in the Wise County jail. (Assuming the scoop didn't come as a press release from the WCSO. Edit: Yep, it was.) But  any guy who is "suspected" in that many slayings reminds me of the many false allegations against Henry Lee Lucas.
  • Who calls it a "three point kick"?
  • Other than the 1.1 billion Hindus he forgot to mention and that Diwali was last week, he nailed it. How can the White House screw up simple things like this? (This was his only public appearance since returning from France.)
  • The Federal fiscal year ends at the end of September each year. How much did the federal government spend more than it took in for the last fiscal year? $779 billion.  We are now one month (October) into the new fiscal year 2018. How much are we already behind? $100.5 billion. Where has the Tea Party gone?
  • Guess the Congressional Republican-Elects vs. the Democratic-Elects. (You don't even need the title.)
  • I've said this before: Fed Ex trucks are always getting into wrecks. (This one happened this morning.) But just wait for icy roads -- that's when you'll really notice it. 
  • Messenger: Above The Fold. (Not available.)



at 8:32 AM

11.13.2018

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts



  • I saw a Lamborghini in Bridgeport on Sunday. It had Oklahoma plates. Both observations caused me confusion. But the driver was smart enough to obey the 40 and 45 speed limits on 380. 
  • I'm still not sure I understand how it's that practicable:
  • Want to go to a Texas High School football playoff game? There are 94 of them on Thursday, 210 on Friday, and 15 on Saturday.  (I'll always remember it:When I was a Junior in High School, Bridgeport went 9-1 but was not playoff eligible because we didn't win district.)
  • The Dow dropped 600 yesterday. But early in the morning you-know-who was already making ridiculous excuses. (And, man, he is really scared about the Democrats winning the House.) 
  • Trump just figured out the President of France made fun of him over the weekend, and America was horrified the rain prevented him from honoring the World War I dead. That got five tweets from him this morning. (And, by the way, he didn't leave the White House yesterday to go to Arlington Memorial Cemetery.)
  • Don't look now, but oil prices are on a skid. It hit $58.51 a barrel this morning after 11 straight days in decline -- the longest losing streak in 30 years.  
  • As I make my way through The West Wing I'm surprised how it's both relevant yet dated at the same time. Example: A assistant to the Chief of Staff filled in for the Press Secretary in Season One and referred to a reporter's question as "stupid." He did it in a joking and fun way, yet his colleagues went bonkers in horror. Yet, Trump viciously referred to a reporter's question as stupid on Friday and even went further to say, "You ask a lot of stupid questions" and it was kind of news for about 24 hours. 
  • Baraboo High (Wisconsin) Prom Night in 2017. The kid in the front row didn't raise his hand, but he is flashing the White Power hand symbol with his right hand. The guy in the upper right hand corner is the only guy who is not a racist and/or an idiot. (CNN actually blocked out their faces last night.)
    Future Proud Boys (Except one)
  • If you feel the need to consult with an ethics expert, you already know what to do. 
  • I always question the advise that the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer Association puts out every Tuesday. In addition to ignoring pro bono work, the following is simply wrong.  You don't like spending a lot of your time working for clients who stiff you, but working will at least teach you something every time. Sitting around piddling your thumbs will not. 
  • I felt dumb yesterday: I had no idea who Stan Lee was. 


at 8:32 AM

11.12.2018

Random Monday Morning Thoughts


  • There is something that seems wrong with what some court appointed lawyers are making in Collin County. Especially one. (Note: This is the same county which has been balking at paying the special prosecutors of AG Ken Paxton.)
  • The Fort Worth Court of Appeals sided with the government last Thursday and held that the trial court should not have quashed the indictment for not clearly setting forth the charge. What I found odd was that the defendant's lawyers intentionally and expressly did not file a brief with the appellate court. Someone explain that to me. 
  • Sports: (1) Tech would have beaten UT if the Red Raider quarterback wasn't a turnover machine, (2) The Chicago Bears kicker hit the uprights four times in one game, (3) Jason Garrett has nine lives, (4) OU/OSU might have been the best game of the season, (5) Here's every scenario for UT, OU, Iowa State or 
  • WVU to end up in the Big 12 Championship, (6) Baylor/Iowa State brawl! (7) UT coach Tom Herman became the serious target of former Ohio State assistant coach Zach Smith yesterday who was either drunk or having a mental breakdown on Twitter. It was insane.
Mike Leach (Just for fun)
  • There is some effort in the media to refrain from repeating the name of the killer in a mass shooting. Honestly, there are so many mass shootings we couldn't remember the names if we tried. 
  • Dear Amazon, your commercial with multiple door rings is causing dog owners all over the country to lose their minds. 
  • The step dad of the girlfriend KC Chiefs QB Pat Mahomes died suddenly at the stadium yesterday. The girlfriend, of course, immediately took to social media. Dear, Sweet Step Kids: If I kick the bucket suddenly, don't go on Instagram within hours posting a picture of you and refer to is as "A day I'll never forget!" and presupposing I spent my first hours on the other side watching a game. Other than that, do whatever you want. 
  • Trump had a banner weekend: He insulted a black female reporter, made a ill-informed tweet about the fires in California without expressing concern for the victims (and got ripped by firefighters for it), and, above all else, stayed in his hotel room because of a little rain and refused to honor American Marines killed in World War I. Then the President of France mocked him.   Once again, America became a world embarrassment. 
  • Oh, in one event he finally attended in France yesterday he smiled like a boy in love as Putin walked in. Find you someone who looks at you like Trump looks at the Russian leader. (And Trump never smiles.)

  • A 22 year old Decatur resident won the 2018 PBR World Championship in Las Vegas.
  • The Sophomore In The House (who just turned 16 -- ugh) is involved in a debate for one of her classes. The subject is whether to vaccinate infants and children. (How that is even a debate topic is beyond me, but that's beside the point.) She told me that she is going to open up her presentation with, "Do you remember when you had polio as child? [Insert long pause and then with a louder voice] Of course you don't! You didn't have polio because you were vaccinated!" She's very proud of this. I fear she might just do a mic drop.
  • The most humiliating assignment for a local TV news reporter has to be: "Go drive around in the rain and give us some reports what it is like to drive in the rain." (Happening a lot this morning.)
  • Messenger: Above The Fold


at 8:30 AM
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