Wilkommen!!

Wurstfest 2011 started last night.

Come get some sausage und bier.....oops....beer.

Drink responsibly however.

Oh and stop by the Republican Women's Booth Monday evening after 8 p.m. for some fried pickles or sausage cheese balls and say hello to me.

Auf weidersehen!

Oompah-pah-pah: The heartbeat of New Braunfels

By Roy Bragg - Express-News

NEW BRAUNFELS — The official emblem of this historic German burg should show a tuba and an accordion, and bear the slogan “In Heaven, There is No Beer.”

That's because New Braunfels is the undisputed center of the Texas polka universe. An unofficial count shows 14 oompah bands based here, 20 percent of the professional polka bands in the state, according to Texas Polka News.

The bands range from two-musician acts like Oma and Oompahs to The Seven Dutchmen, which has nine members at most gigs. Some bands are traditional. Others mix in rock, country and ballroom numbers.

The rest of the story:

What's the rush?

While one could argue that the evidence was fairly conclusive and pointed to him why deny the DNA testing?

It won't take long and then he can be executed for the murders.

Judge denies DNA tests before Texas execution

By Juan A. Lozano - Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — A judge has denied a Texas death row inmate's request for testing of DNA evidence his attorneys say could prove his innocence, less than a week before the man is set to be executed.

Hank Skinner, 49, is scheduled to be executed Wednesday for the 1993 deaths of his girlfriend and her two sons. Skinner's attorneys had asked for testing of DNA evidence that was not tested before his 1995 trial.

But Judge Steven R. Emmert denied Skinner's request in a brief order issued Wednesday and made public Thursday. The order did not explain the judge's decision.

The rest of the story:

Answering to a Higher Authority

He's in front of a higher authority now than even a Federal Judge.

Rest in Peace.  My condolences to your family.  You did not have to have it end this way.

Second defendant is dead in Zachry fraud case

The two faced prison in $10 million scheme
By Guillermo Contreras - Express-News

A month after one Houston-area businessman accused of bilking $10 million from Zachry Industrial killed himself, a second has been found dead.

The body of David J. Reitman, the main orchestrator of the fraud scheme on one of San Antonio's largest employers, was found Wednesday on a bed in a room at the InterContinental Hotel in Houston, a police report said.

Reitman, who lived in a $2.5 million home in Houston's posh River Oaks section, was facing a divorce and up to a dozen years in prison, officials said.

The rest of the story:

Judge at center of media storm

Like I predicted in yesterday's blog he cannot be prosecuted for this as the statue of limitations had run.

Why someone would think the Feds would get involved in this is beyond belief.

If anyone can do anything immediately it would be the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct and perhaps not even then.

Frankly, let the voters decide if they want him to get re-elected.

Oh, and also, I believe they all need to go to counseling.  He does and his daughter as well, who it seems is pissed because I guess Daddy should continue to support her 23 year old ass while she drops out of college and wants to keep the Mercedes he gave her.

Judge will not face charges in beating video

Police chief says case is too old.
By Lynn Brezosky - Express-News


A family court judge won't face charges in the 2004 beating of his then-16-year-old daughter, an incident shown in a viral YouTube video, because the five-year statute of limitations has expired, Rockport Police Chief Tim Jayroe said Thursday.

Had the incident come to light sooner, Aransas County Court-at-Law Judge William Adams probably would have been charged with causing injury to a child or other assault-related offenses, Jayroe said.

“We believe that there was a criminal offense involved and that there was substantial evidence to indicate that, and under normal circumstances ... a charge could have been made,” Jayroe said.

The rest of the story:

Don't ask me what I hope happens to the Mom

Severed her colon???

Holy Sweet Jesus!!  That poor child!

I hope she'll recover without any residual problems.

Police say mom admits to beating infant

By Ana Ley - Express-News

Police arrested a woman accused of punching her 3-year-old daughter in the stomach so hard that she severed the child's colon.

Jennifer Alfaro, 24, was arrested Tuesday night and charged with assault of a child causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony. Bail was set at $100,000.

According to a police affidavit, Alfaro's daughter was admitted into the pediatric intensive care unit on Tuesday with injuries that included a severe internal infection, a burst intestine and a severed colon.

The rest of the story:

And also, don't hide your assets!

Oops!

Bankruptcy fraud, never a good idea the Feds take that shit seriously.

New Braunfels businessman indicted in bankruptcy ploy

By Gullermo Contreras - Express-News

A federal grand jury in San Antonio on Wednesday indicted a New Braunfels businessman, charging him with bankruptcy fraud and structuring financial transactions to avoid scrutiny by creditors and the government.

The indictment said Jack T. Alves, 56, falsely stated in a bankruptcy court filing on May 23, 2008, the amount of cash he had in his possession was $4,000 when in fact, he knew he possessed substantially more cash which he concealed from the court and creditors.

The indictment further alleges that Alves engaged in a pattern of structuring bank deposits, totaling more than $100,000 in a 12-month period, to evade financial reporting requirements. According to the indictment, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations found that, from Feb. 24, 2010, until May 12, 2011, Alves made a total of 64 bank deposits, each between $5,000 and $8,100.

The rest of the story:

Beat me Daddy, eight to the bar

This video certainly is disturbing.

However, off the top of my head how do you prosecute him for a seven year-old incident?

I'm not going to look at the statute of limitations on this, but it may have run.

Now, that being said, I do not believe there is a statute of limitations to prevent the Judicial Conduct Commission from looking into this.

Outrage over video of judge beating daughter

YouTube post shows Aransas official
By Lynn Brezosky and Eva Ruth Moravec - Express-News

Aransas County officials and Rockport police are reviewing a video recently posted on YouTube that shows a county court-at-law judge beating his teenage daughter with a belt and cursing her as his now-former wife looked on.

“Obviously, it is a very disturbing video. We in my office as well as everyone on earth is taking a look at it, at this time,” said County Attorney Richard Bianchi, who confirmed that the man wielding the belt in the video is County Court-at-Law Judge William Adams.

The seven-minute, 35-second video is dated 2004 and was purportedly posted by the judge's daughter, Hillary Adams, who was being punished for acquiring music and games on Internet sites that her parents disapproved of, according to a note attached to it.

The rest of the story:

No time for crack-heads

Hah!

Lindsey Lohan sentenced to prison?

I'll believe it when I see it.

The whole California Judicial System appears to be some sort of a joke.

UPDATE:
from Celebitchy:


Linnocent is going back to jail! But it’s a mixed bag of a sentence. Part of me thinks the Cracken got off easy. Part of me thinks the judge is giving her enough rope to hang herself, so to speak. The sentence is basically as follows:  

30 days in jail, non-negotiable, as soon as Linnocent turns herself over within the next week; from there, the judge set a timetable for Linnocent to complete 12 full days at the morgue a month, plus four therapy sessions a month, and if LL doesn’t complete either each month, this “probation” is automatically revoked, a warrant goes out for LL’s arrest, and she will have to immediately start a 270-day jail sentence. So, 300 days in jail, with only 30 days in jail guaranteed. 

Lindsay Lohan returns to court, may return to jail

Associated Press -


LOS ANGELES -- Lindsay Lohan returns to court Wednesday to learn whether a judge will agree with a prosecutor advocating that the actress be returned to jail for failing to complete a community service assignment at a women's shelter.

Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner revoked Lohan's probation at a hearing nearly two weeks ago, but now must formally determine whether Lohan violated the terms of her sentence. The judge has asked prosecutors to calculate how long of a jail term the actress would have to serve if she is formally found in violation of her probation for misdemeanor drunken driving and theft cases.

Sautner, who is the fifth judge that Lohan has faced since her first arrest in 2007, has expressed exasperation with the actress and California's budget-strapped jail  system.

The rest of the story:

Choose wisely

Ooooh Yummy!

Not.

Ohhhmmmm!

McRib sandwiches contain the same ingredients as yoga mats, shoe soles

By Francica Ortega - Express-News


Attention: Your McRib sandwich is probably not good for your heart. It has 980 mg of sodium and 10 grams of saturated fat. But then we already knew that it wasn’t exactly health food.

According to Time’s healthland blog, that’s not all it has: The sandwich contains 70 other ingredients. And some of those ingredients, such as azodicarbonamide, ammonium sulfate and polysorbate 80 are kinda gross.

The rest of the story:

Master of the obvious

My opinion.

Yes, Yeah, Yup, Of Course, Does a bear shit in the woods?, and Hello, what do you think?

Duh!

Are narcos hiding out in Texas

By Jason Buch - Express-News

Two alleged Gulf Cartel leaders arrested last week in South Texas likely were hiding out north of the border to avoid the extreme violence caused by warring cartels in Mexico, analysts said.

These cartel capos are potential gold mines of information for law enforcement, but the schisms they're fleeing may have spilled into the U.S. in two recent incidents, they said. And the demise of these bosses works to the benefit of their opponents across the river.

Border Patrol agents on Thursday arrested Eudoxio Ramos Garcia, 34, at a house in Rio Grande City. Ramos is the Gulf Cartel's former plaza boss, or regional commander, for the Mexican border city of Miguel Alemán, according to court documents.

 

The rest of the story:

Out to Court

Dear Readers;

I am leaving to go to Austin for oral arguments at the Third Court of Appeals.

I will catch up on posting after I return and this evening.

My apologies for any inconvenience.

Yours Truly,

Man o' Law

This is art?

I guess art is in the eye of the beholder.

NYC museum limits visitors in bathtub-like artwork

Associated Press -

NEW YORK (AP) — Naked art lovers are no longer able to take dips together in a bathtub-like installation at a New York City museum after warnings from health officials.

The "Psycho Tank" is part of an interactive exhibit "Experience" by German artist Carsten Holler (HOO'-lehr). The pool sits off the ground in a tent-like structure. Visitors are handed bathrobes, slippers and towels before heading into the salty, warm water — nude.

The New York Post reports health officials said allowing more than one person would have required a permit the museum didn't have.

The rest of the story:

Oil boom car crashes

Geeze be more careful out there folks!

Crash kills 3 oilfield workers near Tilden

By Eva Ruthe Moravec - Express-News

Three oilfield workers were killed Monday morning in a head-on collision near Tilden that officials said may have been caused by fatigue.

The crash took place on Texas 72 six miles west of Tilden, which is about 75 miles south of San Antonio, at about 7 a.m., Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Clint Walker said.

It was the third fatal two-vehicle crash in the past two weeks on Texas 72, Walker said.

The rest of the story:

Snow in New York

The nicest thing about the 27 years he's sentenced to in Federal Court is there is no parole at the Fedral Pen.

27 years.

Day for day. 

That's the way.

Texan gets 27 years over drug trafficking

Associated Press -

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — A South Texas man who owned a tractor-trailer rig found in New York City with nearly 750 pounds of cocaine on board has been sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Prosecutors say 52-year-old Alonzo Avila of Mission was sentenced Monday by a federal judge in McAllen. Avila earlier pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

Agents in New York City seized the cocaine in 2006 in an investigation that led to the discovery of trucks hauling drugs from Texas to New York, Atlanta and Columbus, Ohio.

The rest of the story:

Catch the low-lifes who did this

I hope these two low-life scumbags are caught and soon.

Soldier stabbed, robbed

By Eva Ruth Moravec - Express-News

San Antonio police are looking for two men who stabbed and robbed a soldier early Monday.

Billy Joe Shaver had stopped by his apartment in the 3900 block of Barrington Street to pick up his Army uniform at 1:30 a.m., according to a police report. He was moving and most of his valuables were already at his new residence, so he had left his door unlocked, police said.

Shaver was confronted and assaulted by two men who threatened to kill him if he didn't stop fighting back, according to the report. He felt a pain in his side before the assailants left with his wallet, containing $425 in cash He later realized he'd been stabbed, called 911 and knocked on neighbors' doors, police said.

The rest of the story: