Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts
- Ahmaud Arbery update:
- In Georgia criminal trials, apparently the judge reads the "Court's Charge" to the jury after closing arguments. That makes absolutely no sense.
- A loyal reader, while agreeing that the defense lawyer's argument that Arbery had "long, dirty toenails" was over the line, pointed out that the autopsy report was the factual basis for the comment. I've found news reports that say the autopsy photos showed long and dirty toenails, but I haven't found the actual autopsy report which used those exact words.
- I'm going out on a limb, but I bet we have a verdict today. The jury will want to get this thing over with before Thanksgiving. And I'll think the jury will send the three men home before the holidays.
- Add this to my decades old rant that medical examiners are always giving opinions that they absolutely cannot justify. If an ME wants to say Brian Laundrie died "due to a metal projectile penetrating the left occipital aspect of the skull" then knock yourself out. But to say it is suicide is nothing but a wild guess. (Side note: Where's the gun?)
- There seems to be a ton of crime committed by juveniles in the metroplex of late. This one which happened on Saturday afternoon is particularly disturbing. He burglarized the place and then came back.
- A Tarrant County DA candidate was hanging out yesterday with former Bridgeport resident and Wise County Sheriff's Office deputy and current Lake Worth Police Chief J.T. Manoushagian:
- Another former Bridgeport resident, a lawyer who I've often said that I wanted her press agent, appears to be heavily involved in this verdict:
- But some verdicts can be hard to hang onto:
- This is a very recent photo of the new Tesla plant going up in Austin. Look at how small the cars are to give you some idea how big that thing is.
- BagOfNothing put up a new post the other day. That's a tough year.
- I forgot to mention yesterday that we have new footage of the the Trump Insurrection. How all these people aren't hammered by the Justice Department for trying to overthrow the U.S. is a mystery to me.
- Oh, good lord.
- I mentioned Abraham Zapruder yesterday and should have included this great photo. I've got him circled in red standing on that concrete thingy. He can barely be seen in black, but there's also a person standing beside him who is taller and wearing tan. That would his 23 year old receptionist Marilyn Sitzman.
- The stock market is booming but look at the last 12 month performance of two particular stocks which benefited greatly from the COVID lockdown.
- Legal nerdy stuff: Yesterday a lawsuit was filed challenging all of the new lines drawn for Texas state representatives and senate districts. Man, this seems real simple and really clear: Lines can only be drawn at Regular Session -- that's in the Texas Constitution. But because of COVID, the Census was delayed this time causing the legislature to have to redraw the lines in a Special Session. Jut look at the opening of the lawsuit below. (Lawsuit pdf here.)
- Fun time waste. It should enlarge if you click it, but here's an alternative link if that doesn't work. I even had to Google a couple of things at the bottom of the chart which were true.
- You wonder how people can believe stuff like that? This video making the rounds yesterday doesn't help answer the question. It's amazing and amazingly entertaining. (And it's from the Jim Bakker Show -- the guy who was married to Tammy Faye.)
- Hey, Baylor fans, look what I did with 538's playoff generator. And, call me crazy, that's not that crazy at all. (Although I'm not sure I understand how a two-loss Baylor gets in over one-loss Notre Dame or even a two-loss Alabama, but I'm guessing the number crunchers would put great value on the wins over BYU, OU, and Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship. Alabama and Notre Dame don't get close to that. Heck even Georgia's best win right now is over #23 Clemson.):
- Messenger: Above the Fold
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