8.25.2023

It's Friday -- Let's Get Out of Here

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Random Friday Morning Thoughts




Two long term Decatur ISD educators (right) celebrated integration on the front page of the Messenger. I need to be careful: This archived newspaper might be considered illegal "CRT" information in today's age. 

  • A fake mugshot, distributed online moments before the real one was, duped a lot of people last night. But the real one looks more ominous than the fake one.  
    Fake
    Real


    • We knew the official arrest was coming, but it really was jarring to see the above. Almost as jarring as the ridiculous number of motorcycle cops in the motorcade to and from the jail.

    • After the book-in, Trump made his first post on Twitter since being banned the day after the Insurrection. And it included a weird slogan for a guy who just surrendered at his book-in.

  • Breaking records left and right. And high school football season started last night with the majority of games this evening. 
    • And Wichita Falls is having its big bike race this weekend. 

  • Big News! Thes$300,000 Man in no more. Instead, he has become the $345,250 Man. Yep, after the Uvalde cluster they gave him a raise. 


  • I was kind of curious that we "had over a thousand" people missing in Maui without names. Now we have names and a smaller number:


  • Two "sexual assault" cases were tried this week in Tarrant County with two "not guilty" verdicts returned. Source: Tarrant County DA Trial Board.
  • Not sure what is going on here. Zillow is showing that Mar-a-lago was "sold" for $422,000,000 (say what?) to Mar-a-Lago Inc. in early August. That company is controlled by Donald Trump Jr. 

  • I'm a day late on this, but a 53 year old third grade teacher in Oklahoma got a bit liquored up before and during the first day of school.  That's yellow thing in the photo below is a portable breath test (PBT) which showed an alcohol concentration of 0.24.  The driving limit is usually 0.08 around the nation. 

  • Translated: The convicted cop simply filed his brief (PDF) in the court of appeals alleging errors made at his trial which is pretty much what happens in 99% of every criminal appeal.  It's not a personal attack on the judge.

  • A very Charlie's Angels vibe by Dallas PD in a recruiting post this morning. 

  • Thank goodness: It was announced yesterday that ESPN's College Gameday has officially retired the "Coming to Your City" song as it's introductory song. Driven me nuts for years. We won't know the new song until tomorrow morning. 

  • Time which has passed since the Wise County Sheriff's Office, despite having a full male DNA profile, has failed to solve the murder of Lauren Whitener in her home at Lake Bridgeport: 4 years and 50 days.



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8.24.2023

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts





A measles outbreak put a Newark church in the national news. It was all just a preview. 

  • Huge kudos to the Wise County Messenger today for penning an editorial going after the Decatur ISD School Board for operating in secrecy and appearing to become beholden to big out-of-towner donors. An excerpt:

  • There seem to be an unusual number of lawsuits filed this year challenging property tax appraisals of the Wise County Appraisal District. And there was a big one filed yesterday: 

  • It was Surrender Day in Fulton County. They deserve everything they get. 

    • Flashback: Jenna Ellis called herself and Powell and Giuliani an "elite strike force" in November 2019 as they spread lies to the nation.

  • Trump's arraignment in court -- not to be be confused with his surrender to jail this evening -- will be televised. (Edit: CNN just reported that Trump will change Georgia lawyers. Edit: Done.)

  • This was the screenshot during the opening question at last night's Republican debate last night. Ugh. Gave me an immediate case of Slumped Shoulders. 

  • One second you are marching on Moscow and the next you are in a plane that blows up.  Everyone told the guy he had a target on his back. 




  • And he's not up for election for another three years. 

  • Employment quick hits:
    • Seeing various headlines about salary increases, or lack thereof, for county employees.


    • The Texas Tribune has become a journalistic rising star, but it was hit with layoffs yesterday. It's the first time that's happened in its 14 year history.

    • I can't say I know many Oklahoma journalists, but I noted that Berry Tramel -- a Big 12 and OU writer whose bylines I've seen for years -- has left the Daily Oklahoman and starting an online publication. 

  • I've proclaimed him the greatest player in the history of baseball, and I stand by it. Oh, my:  

  • Cowboys arrest: The charge is going to be Possession of THC < 1 gram. It's a State Jail Felony but about the most insignificant felony there is. (You buy a a single package of gummies at a dispensary in Colorado and you are going to be in possession of 50 grams.) And the gun would have been legal but for the possession of the THC. No reason to get worked up over this. 

  • Messenger - Above the Fold

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8.23.2023

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts




 It was a "fine levied by the Texas Ethics Commission" against Judge Sharon Keller for failing to fully disclose millions of dollars of real estate and income in financial statements." And she is still on the court.

  • I told ya it was coming. 

  • In Georgia attempted election stealing prosecution news:
    • John Eastman has turned himself in and we have our first high profile mugshot.

        • When he doubled down on this statement yesterday like he was a QAnon nut, I was ready to call him crazy.  But upon reflection, what else can he say? It's his only defense. It's his only hope to stay out of prison. He has to maintain the lie. 

    • Even if I'm a lesser know Georgia defendant, I'd spell "request" correctly.

    • Trump will turn himself on Thursday night during prime time. He's a born showman. 

  • There is a Republican debate tonight without Trump. And I just leaned that someone I hadn't heard of might be taking a seat while everyone else is standing:

  • I think this is just a bit. No way he's serious about this, and there's no way anyone would buy it. In support of this theory, I went to the website to see if you could actually buy a ticket like he claims, and you can't. It just promises "coming soon" (with a probably false claim that the 100 "pre-sale tickets" have already been taken.)

  • I know our leaders are dumb, but there's no way we they can be that dumb right? Dennis Prager videos simply push the accelerator down on the road to Idiocracy. 
  • Video: Mom removed from Tennessee House Subcommittee for simply holding up a sign that read, "1 KID > ALL THE GUNS."   When she asks, "Is this what democracy looks like?", we should take heed. 

  • Suites getting nicer. I'm sure the interior decorator didn't suggest curtains for the end zone. 

  • Traffic on 114 news. The new development is described as "south of Texas State Highway 114, west of F.M. 156, north of Elizabeth Creek, and east of BNSF Railroad, the development would span 430 acres." My graphics department took out a red pen and told me that should be somewhere behind Northwest High School off 114. 


  • A former Miss Texas is running for a Texas House district in the metroplex as a Democrat. The seat is currently held by a Republican who won 54.3% to 45.2% in 2022. That photo the Texas Tribune used might be an accurate predictor of her chances if you focus on Miss Texas' Teen's expression. 

  • We had a Wise County criminal case affirmed on appeal on Monday. That was quick. It was tried to a jury less than a year ago.
    • Legal nerdy stuff: This was a very old case because the defendant was in Germany for many, many years before being arrested. One of the points of error concerned a lost video: "Slimp complains of evidence from 1995 related to this case that was lost or destroyed and argues that, even though current law does not allow for a spoliation remedy without a showing of bad faith, this Court should 'reevaluate the current state of the law and amend existing precedent with regards to spoliation in criminal cases.'" The court declined. 
    • Edit: A completely different Wise County criminal case just got affirmed this morning. That was a quick one as well. 

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