Archive for January 7th, 2014

Banana republicans watch: January 7, 2014.

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

This story started breaking this morning, but I wanted to wait for the official word before posting anything.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has decided to drop his re-election bid, and is retiring as sheriff at the end of January.

Sheriff Baca and his department have been a frequent subject of coverage here, most recently as the result of 18 of his deputies being indicted on federal charges. But that’s just part of the story; Baca’s department has a long history of issues, including deputies beating the crap out of each other at the Christmas party, questionable hiring decisions, and questionable tactics. Browse the “California Uber Alles” category for more.

I have the feeling that this is another one of those “pass the popcorn” moments, and I look forward to finding out what happens next.

Firings and other random notes: January 7, 2014.

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

At this point, it is probably easier to list who the Houston Texans have not fired:

Assistant head coach/defensive line Bill Kollar.

Also out of a job: Miami offensive coordinator (and former Texas A&M head coach) Mike Sherman.

The latest episode of “American Experience”, which is airing tonight on most PBS stations (7 PM on KLRU, with repeats at 1 AM and 3 AM) is an adaptation of Deborah Blum’s The Poisoner’s Handbook, about forensic toxicology in New York during the 1920s and 1930s. I thought this was a swell book, and I generally enjoy the “American Experience” documentaries, so I commend this to your attention.