Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Texas highest criminal court yesterday struck a blow against a prosecutor and the desire to move trials further towards Idiocracy: "Playing a video of a lion trying to eat a baby to argue for a high prison sentence in a simple robbery case was an improper use of a demonstrative aid because the video invited an analogy that was not anchored to the evidence presented at trial." The court even took the rare act of posting the video.
  

• I've learned that Amarillo now has a Minor League Baseball team which is affiliated with the San Diego Padres. They are officially my favorite team because of one reason: They are named the Sod Poodles. (But if you want to know what a beating being a minor league player would be, check out the post below. They are driving to Corpus Christi for their first game -- 651 miles one way.)
  
• Speaking of official, The Official Liberally Lean Girl has checked into a mental health facility. Thoughts and prayers.
  
• As I predicted yesterday, the Dallas DA has killed any potential criminal charges against the gal who was assaulted in Deep Ellum. (Side note: How did breaking out a back windshield cause over $2,500 worth of damage? Is it possible cops fudged on the value of damage to reach a felony threshold? No way.)
  
• After last month's Supreme Court ruling, Texas has announced that it will no longer allow any clergy in the execution room. Think about that. This state is so back woods that we would rather ban all clergy from an execution than allow a Buddhist spiritual adviser. (That would be like Jackson, Mississippi closing all public pools instead of integrating them which actually happened.)
• The House Ways and Means Committee officially requested Trump's tax returns yesterday. But they are demanding them not from Trump but from the IRS. Delicious. And he's mad this morning. 
  
• Chris Faulkner, who has been in my virtual cross-hairs for a long time because he's a fraud, was told by a judge that a plea deal with a maximum of 12 years wasn't good enough. This gives me great joy. (He's the former exclusive sponsor of radio's Mark Davis podcast.)
  
• The price of refurbished phones (that's what they do) is going up: 
  
  
  
• Unless I'm missing something, the jail list at Wise County right now shows 29 people arrested within the last two days who have not made bond. That's a massive number over the norm. (And 22 of them were from yesterday.)
• Let's check in on Fox News this morning as they warn us about sexual predator Joe Biden. 
  
  
  
  
• Someone in Waco has made a huge mistake. I was glancing at the Texas front pages this morning deciding which one I'd pick and saw this one released by the Waco Tribune-Herald. It's dated for next Sunday, and the women's Final Four hasn't been played yet. I know one coach who is going to be livid.  Edit: It's gone.