Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Two Decatur men were kidnapped over the weekend by a Mexican cartel during a hunting trip. Or maybe they weren't. This is all very confusing. Regardless, the story made it to Breitbart.com. For my Spanish speaking readers (or those who know how to cut and paste into a translation site), the story is here.
  
• The Denton Record Chronicle obtained the arrest warrant affidavit in the murder case where an Alvord man is one of the accused. It provides more details. 
  
• Felipe Gallegos of Rhome, 39, fell of a ladder on Saturday while hanging Christmas lights  as part of his business. He later died at a Denton Hospital. A GoFundMe page which had a goal of $20,000 has raised over $34,000 as of this morning. (It's really confusing as to where exactly the accident happened. The Medical Examiner's site says it "occurred" at "320 Private Rd. 4441, Rhome, Texas 76078" which is the same address listed as his residence. The Star-Telegram relies on that in its story by saying, "Officials with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that the Wise County man died of blunt-force injuries caused by accidentally falling off his roof." But KXAS says the incident happened "while hanging Christmas lights for a client in Rhome." To add to the confusion, the video story from WFAA, which has the credibility of an interview with his wife, has the reporter saying the fall happened in Argyle and actually shows a still shot of a home.)
  
• One of Dallas' largest homes has been sold to "Mehrdad Moayedi’s Crescent Estates Custom Homes." Am I wrong here, or aren't residential homes normally bought by individuals or couples  instead of a company? Can a partnership/corporation/other entity claim a homestead exemption for residential property taxes? We are talking about a chunk of change of a property listed for $28 million.
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• A Waco JP told the local paper that as a “Bible-believing” Christian, her conscience prohibited her from doing same-sex weddings. That earned her an official rebuke. But that decision by the State Board of Judicial Conduct is really interesting. It's not a decision saying she must marry gay people upon request. Nope, it's a decision saying she created a perception that a gay person who is a party to a civil or criminal case in her court has a reason to now be concerned he or she will be treated fairly.   
  
• Man, that Peloton ad is getting roasted everywhere. (Here's a language-warning parody version.)
  
• I actually bought a workout bike a year ago and use it every other day. But there was no way I was buying a Peloton. Why would I spend almost $3,000 to have a guy yell at me for motivation? I bought the one below for under $300 -- it's built like a brick and is quiet. (On sale now from Amazon for $239. #NotAnAd.)   There's actually a higher priced one by the same manufacturer which uses magnets for tension. I bet it's sweeter, but I'm totally satisfied with mine.
  
• Things were different when I was a kid.
  
• I'd like to meet these "legal scholars" who said this. 
  
• I'm finally getting around to watching The Americans and am now into season four.  The fact that I'm watching it when Russia is front and center in the news might make it better than when it first aired.
• I've listened to Troy Aikman do a segment on The Ticket for years. There is no one -- and I mean no one -- who has less of a personality than that guy. 
• National Park Rangers now have to patrol the border? You kidding me? They didn't sign up for that.