How many chances?

You probably all remember Dena Schlosser. She's the Collin County woman who cut off her baby's arms in 2004. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity. She spent the next four years in a mental institution, then she was released. This past March, she was found walking down a Richardson Street at 2 o'clock one morning. She has been sent to Terrell State Hospital, but for how long? How many more chances does she get?

William Autrey was out on bond after he masterminded a series of violent North Texas home invasions from 2005 to 2008. He formed a new gang and began all over again. In June 2008, he was arrested for impersonating an officer and trying to steal a safe. But he wasn't in custody long. Since last November, he robbed almost 2 dozen homes in the Dallas area stealing at least a million dollars in cash and valuables. All this while his probation officer was sure he was being electronically tracked via an ankle monitor. He was arrested April 17 in possession of a large amount of stolen property. At least for now, he's still locked up. How many more chances should he get?

Todd Henry, a high school teacher in Tyler, Texas, warned everyone he could think of that student Byron was a ticking time bomb -- that he was going to kill somebody. How sad that Todd Henry was the somebody he ended up killing. When Byron was 9 years old, he tried to stab his brother. And he stole a truck. When he was 13, he tried to choke a fellow student. At 14, he tried to kill his brother with a meat cleaver. A few months after that, he stabbed his sister in the back with a steak knife. In Texas Youth Commission custody, he fought prison guards and other inmates and hid razor shards in his cell. Released to go to public school, he had 21 suspensions in the 2006 fall semester. In spring 2007, he pled guilty to car burglary and received probation. He was subsequently arrested for smoking marijuana, but the juvenile jail deemed him too dangerous for them to hold him. And now Todd Henry is dead. How many more chances should Byron get?

Thomas Grady Layton pleaded guilty in 1991 to burglarizing homes. He had already been paroled in 1994 when he pleaded guity to marijuana delivery and received a 25-year sentence. He was paroled again in 2002. He helped arrange a drug deal outside a McDonald's last April 21. Even though he had nearly 6 grams of meth, a glass pipe and a digital scale, he wasn't charged with a drug violation. He was released. Five weeks later, he murdered his mother. How many more chances should he get?

Adam Theall was on probation for second-degree vehicular assault. He had been charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The police made numerous domestic dispute calls to his home. On June 22, someone called 911 saying Theall was going to kill his 3-month-old baby. When officers arrived and got out of the car, Theall killed the infant with a shotgun. He then fired on police. How many more chances should he get?

"Mother who killed baby no longer free." The Dallas Morning News; April 24, 2010; p. 1B.

"Free to rob again?" The Dallas Morning News; May 8, 2010; p. 1A.

"Dangerous teen shuffled from jail to clinics to class." The Dallas Morning News; May 30, 2010; p. 1A.


"Suspect freed after raid." The Dallas Morning News; June 15, 2010; p. 1B.

"Father kills baby in police standoff." The Dallas Morning News; June 23, 2010; p. 8A.

If it were possible . . .

The Obama administration has unveiled a plan to end child and family homelessness in 10 years while wiping out chronic homelessness and homelessness among veterans in five years. Well, they said it was a plan. This is actually what it is: "The proposal leaves details to states and communities. Donovan said the homeless would benefit from more ideas outside the nation's capital." Sounds kind of like how he's been in charge on this oil spill from "day one," but he wants somebody else's a_ _ to kick.

So Obama's going to wipe out homelessness, but he doesn't have a clue how to do it, so he's just going to leave it up to the states and cities. Then he'll take all the credit if they accomplish the goal. But since it's doomed to failure, he won't have to take any of the blame, because he told somebody else to do it.

Anyway, I guess he never read that scripture that says we'll always have poor people. That other great Democrat, LBJ, didn't read it, either, when he proposed basically the same "plan" in his war on poverty almost 50 years ago. And we see what a great success that one's been.

"Initiative unveiled to help homeless." The Dallas Morning News; June 23, 2010; p. 6A.

This is a great idea!

In attempts to show that illegal aliens aren't taking away American jobs, Stephen Colbert and the United Farm Workers of America are encouraging the unemployed and anti-immigrant activists to apply for the thousands of agricultural jobs being posted with state agencies. They think they are being cute, but I think it's a great idea.

Anyone who is able-bodied and drawing unemployment and/or any type of welfare should be offered one of the jobs. If he refuses, his government benefits are stopped immediately. Instant jobs for those who really want to work. Instant savings to the taxpayer from those who don't want to. It's a win-win situation!

If you are out of work and want to apply, go to www.takeourjobs.org.

"Farmworkers, Colbert issue job challenge." The Dallas Morning News; June 25, 2010; p. 11A.

What hypocrites!

While Michelle Obama is out trying to make little kids eat broccoli and carrots, Obama is pictured in the newspaper treating Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to lunch at his favorite burger joint -- Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington. They had cheddar cheeseburgers with onion, jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, french fries, and Cokes.

Then there's the photo of Obama in Racine, Wisconsin, sampling the wares from the O&H Danish Bakery.

Do I care what Obama eats? No -- it doesn't really matter to me. What matters is that they run around with a "healthier than thou" attitude trying to tell ME what to eat and feed my children while they're gorging on grease and sugar and smoking cigarettes. What hypocrites!

"Obama, Russian leader show little concern for grease crisis." The Dallas Morning News; June 25, 2010; p. 8A.

It's working!

The new Arizona law is working! "Anecdotal evidence" suggests that large numbers of illegal aliens are leaving the state. Suriano and her husband invaded the state six years ago. They're moving to Albuquerque. "I don't want to go," wept Suriano. "We're leaving everything behind. But I'm scared the police will catch me and send me back to Mexico." They should do that in New Mexico, too, and the rest of the states as well. Sarah Williams, a neighbor of Suriano's sums up my feelings perfectly: "Bye-bye, see you later."

"Families weigh a painful dilemma." The Dallas Morning News; June 25, 2010; p. 5A.

I don't get it.

People camped out for a week in the sweltering Texas heat to be first in line to buy an iPhone 4. I guess I'm old, but I don't get it. It's not like these people have no phones or other means of communication. I would bet that all of them are technology geeks and have every other electronic gizmo on the market. And there will be more iPhone 4's. Just because you didn't get one on the first day doesn't mean you'll never have one. David Mars said, "It's like a lifestyle." His lifestyle is defined by a phone? Poor, clueless thing! The idiot who camped out for a week to get his phone said, "I'm still alive. Tired and barely alive." For a fancy phone? One guy who was 54 years old said, "This just proves that there are cool people over 30." Also proves there are idiots over 30. I just don't get it.

"Happy campers get first iPhone 4's." The Dallas Morning News; June 25, 2010; p. 1D.

There is no question.

Rev. Charles Hubbard says that Christian churches face questions as they attempt to "discern the applicability of words spoken or written many centuries ago" regarding homosexuality. He says he looks forward to a day when we don't evaluate gay people on their gender orientation whether they are "driving a bus or speaking from a pulpit."

Well, Rev. Hubbard, I have no question. God clearly said in more than one place that homosexual behavior is an abomination, and He hasn't changed His mind. Are you really so arrogant that you think you know better than He does?

"Breaking new ground." The Dallas Morning News; June 24, 2010; p. 14A.