Thursday Roundup: Fishy Searches in Addison, Fishy Hotel Claims, Fishy Bailouts & More
- When a cop from another city questions another police department’s search procedures, you know something is wrong.
- “Mr. Jones said that bookings at the center are up 20 percent to 25 percent over last year on word of progress on the hotel.” I’m sorry, I don’t believe there’s any evidence of causation at all, and Philip Jones has shown that he is not factually neutral when it comes to pushing the city into this $550 million (and growing) boondoggle.
- North Texas cities are lining up at the trough. Their list of items they want the rest of America to pay for is — frankly disgraceful: skate parks, tennis centers, unmanned drones (for God’s sake), and the biggest joke of all, hundreds of millions for the city-owned taxpayer hotel, which is such a great investment it already needs a bailout.
- “I’m a simple country boy from Nebraska, and all I want from politicians is to educate my grandchildren and give me highways I can drive on,” said Larry Ihfe, who smoked at the Dallasite bar in East Dallas while watching the council session on television. “I have to have a four-wheel-drive truck to drive the streets in Dallas, and the City Council is more concerned about me smoking in a bar.” I have nothing to add. Except a disgusted head shake.
Monday Roundup: Busting Drug Cops, It’s Not News It’s AP, Death Penalty Conundrum, Dallas GOP & More
- This may be the coolest thing this week — a show that puts drug cops under the spotlight, and it’s done with at least as much fairness as all the breathless, mouth-breathing reality cop shows like “DEA” and “Cops.” It’s called “Kop Busters,” and they stage houses to be raided by cops that use phony information to get illegal search warrants. Here’s a rundown on what Kop Busters does, and here’s raw footage of the raid where they punked Odessa narcotics officers. (Via Robert Guest via the Agitator via nevergetbusted.com.)
- This is one of those stories that belong in the “people actually meet online and date” file. Why should this be surprising in the least? What are modern video games except interactive entertainment?
- Every time I think I’ve finally overcome my last vestiges of support of the death penalty– and it’s been a hard decision to settle on — along comes a guy who deserves it so much it throws a wrench into the works. Anyone else have this problem?
- That’s it. I’m converting my daughter to Amish. Amishism. Whatever. Before she’s 16. And I’m giving her male classmates walking tours of my home armory. And the swampland where I can dump bodies.
- And this is just downright embarrassing. Let’s hope Jeb’s outlook prevails.
- My colleague Sam Merten does a bangup job profiling Jonathan Neerman’s vision for the future of the Dallas County Republican Party. Neerman hits a bulls-eye with this: “We spend too much time worrying about shit that doesn’t matter.” (*cough* gay marriage, border fence, school prayer, online gambling, Internet porn, gay adoption, the War on Drugs *cough*)
Friday Roundup: “Rent” Oh My, Unequal Justice, NO More Cowbell
- Some Rowlett parents think that if the high school cancels its production of “Rent,” students will be shielded from ever having to hear about topics like drug abuse and homosexuality. Good luck with that. By the way, take a guess how many of the protesters have even seen the play.
- Scott Henson at Grits for Breakfast asks why there have been no charges filed against the crazy woman whose phony child abuse report triggered the state’s raid of the Yearning for Zion property and the separation of more than a hundred children from their parents.
- This is my worst nightmare.
- Correction. This is:
Thursday Roundup: Inland Port, Leppert Silences the Masses, Selling Fear & More
- Jim Schutze gets what I’ve been saying about this inland port “master plan” scam. Good stuff, especially on how the Perot’s interests are involved. Except as my friend Michael Davis points out — he goes overboard in making point about South Dallas. I’ve been guilty of that, too; Michael’s point being that South Dallas is no more a homogeneous block than any other part of Dallas.
- Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert seems to have forgotten that he works for the people of Dallas, and not the other way around.
- You’re the ex-FBI agent who helped fumble the OKC bombing investigation a decade ago, and now you’re in the security business for yourself. How do you drum up business? Why, spread a little fear around and watch the media lap it up.
- Want to see a prime example of just blatant propaganda?
- And speaking of — you know the recent judge’s ruling that red-light cameras in Texas are illegal? (Woo hoo!) Buried at the end of this story, you have the claim that, “Even if the judge is right, it doesn’t affect any of the past notices that have been issued. If you get [a citation] before the court takes any action, you need to pay it.” This is absolutely false. You do not need to pay a red-light camera fine. It does not affect your driving record, your driver’s license, and it cannot be used against your credit rating. There is absolutely no consequence for refusing to pay one of these illegally levied fines. Tear it up the ticket and throw it away. Show some backbone and assert your rights.
Monday Roundup: Dallas County on Univac? “One Million Dollars!” & More
- Help me count all the things wrong with this story where Dallas County government wants to start deleting emails after 90 days. 1) They want to delete emails, which are government records. 2) They store email records on “tape.” What is this, 1962? 3) They claim storing emails is expensive. 4) Government expects us to keep, at our expense, certain records, but they can’t be arsed to do the same. 5) Tapes??? Really? WTF? 6) ????
- On the same weekend I decided to hang on to my recently delivered Plano local phone book because I’m sick of remote online city guides that pretend to be local, my attorney is giving up on phone book advertising. I’m not a huge fan of phone books, but I’m seeing a value in local ones. Maybe I’m just burned out on surfing, maybe it’s just the logic behind Wick Allison’s theory of local print newspapers that rubbed off on me. Your thoughts.
No one would argue the American health care industry doesn’t need some improvement. Especially less government interference, mandates and collusion with the insurance industry. But given it’s literally a $2 trillion industry, this headline — “Experts: U.S. health care system wastes millions“ – well, what’s the problem?
Friday Roundup: Beggars Want to Be Choosers, DISD Funding & A Friday Feelgood
- So if you’re getting affordable housing subsidized by taxpayers, who are you to complain about where it is? What, exactly, is wrong with locating all the housing for low income people in one general area? Why should you get to demand subsidized housing in a nicer neighborhood that someone else worked hard to move to? Look, it’s not a politically correct fact, but the reality is low income neighborhoods have higher crime rates. That’s not to say low income earners are more criminally motivated — it’s just there are more criminally motivated people in the low income demographic. So centralizing low income housing seems smart on two levels. “The group has argued that most of the local apartment complexes financed with housing tax credits are in urban areas with high concentrations of poverty, crime and blight.” Chicken or the egg?
- DPD gets new uniforms with embroidered badges and plastic buttons. Good in terms of dry cleaning cost savings, but the worry is with the number of cases of people impersonating police to stage robberies, home invasions, and roadside rapes — will this complicate things?
- Given its well-documented troubles, why is DISD helping fund million-dollar parks?
- Dear Leader apparently has a litmus test for appointees that baffles even his supporters, and is a window into his soul on the issue of Second Amendment rights.
- Why am I a shameless cheerleader for free enterprise and big business? That’s why.
Thursday Roundup: Green Fearmongers, MADD’s Jihad & More
- I wrote a column a few months back in the Dallas Morning News on how pols and special interests use fear to push their agendas. Odd culprit of the day: environmentalists who want water companies to stop using chlorine gas to purify drinking water. “Millions of people remain unnecessarily vulnerable to toxic terrorism,” said Reece Rushing, the center’s director of regulatory and information policy.
- My friend and fellow Dallas writer Jacob Sullum discusses some of the ominous tendencies of the president-elect’s pick for attorney general. Meet the new boss…
- The Texas Lege is just months away, and the crusaders at MADD are gearing up. They want sobriety check points and mandatory ignition interlocks for anyone convicted of a DWI. What’s the problem with that? Cue my attorney Robert Guest, who has the lowdown.
- Here’s your peak into the world of the full-time, employed journalist.
Monday Roundup: Your Papers Please, Craig Watkins & More
- Bad: State DPS wanted to set up ID checkpoints. Good: Plans are scrapped. Lousy: Lawmakers were only concerned about whether illegal immigrants were targeted, not whether their own constituents would have to show their papers on demand to state police.
- Scott Henson on why the Dallas County DA needs to grow a thicker skin, especially when he’s given (deserved) laurels like Sunday’s profile in the Wall Street Journal.
- “No criminal charge exists in Texas for a prosecutor who … violate[s] a defendant’s constitutional rights if they intentionally or accidentally withhold evidence favorable to the defense.” Why not? In fact shouldn’t it be a very serious felony?
- And this is why man-made global warming is sooo 2005.
Don’t Vote. Do Something Positive Instead.
Look — the reality is, your vote doesn’t count. I’m sorry. It’s true. It’s literally a waste of your time.
It’s like taking off your shoes at airport security — it’s designed to make you feel better without actually making any difference.
Here’s the best advice I’ve ever seen about election day:
So, this (election day), do the right thing for America: go to work and do a good job. Clean up some garbage on your street. Help a neighbor out. Call your mother, for goodness’ sakes.
Monday Roundup: Boobies, Hinojosa’s Easy Problems, Girls With Guns, Lawyer v. Pitbull & More
- I oppose both McCain’s and Obama’s plans to meddle in the health care industry. But there’s no reason this treatment shouldn’t be supplied to every American woman who wants it.
- You go, Ginger Allen. I certainly know the setbacks I’ve faced in my life have been because I’m just too damn good looking. My Adonis physique makes it a double whammy. (Ginger is quickly becoming must-see TV news in my book. Her gritty journalism and tenacious reporting are bringing us stories that make a real difference.)
- Not to pile on, Dr. Hinojosa, but when you say, “If I had to choose between solving academic or financial problems, I would choose the latter, because financial problems are easy to solve, academic achievement is not,” then how did we get to this $84 million financial problem? I’m sorry, but this doesn’t fill me with confidence in you being the man to execute the rather worthy Dallas Achieves initiative.
- More women are hunting, especially in Texas. Giggity.
- A pit bull did not give Ken Molberg due professional courtesy. (I kid, I kid. I’ve met Ken, he’s a great guy, and I wish him a speedy recovery.)
- Dig deep if you can. Don’t forget the animal charities. They’re the ones who can’t take care of themselves. [/soapbox]
- “No political motives.” Riiiiight.
- And lastly, Betty Culbreath, a longtime Southern sector leader, weighs in on my previous post about why the idea for a multi-jurisdictional government master plan for the Inland Port is a Bad IdeaTM.
The Allen Group came to Texas with their idea. Every time someone came with an idea for the Area it got knocked down by Dallas Politics, remember the Texas Speedway, now in Fort Worth, the cargo Airport now called Alliance and on and on we go.
The new Master Plan was about control of the development, the water. It’s all about the power over the Allen Group. If you have a new plan in control of the water and other essentials needed for development, the Allen Group will be at their mercy.