10.01.2020

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

 
  • Texas hospitalizations: 3,344 (+93) I'm still calling this a "flattening", but I'm not so sure a steady increase isn't beginning. 

  • A Hood County constable picked a bad time to disclose he's a Proud Boy supporter. (He's also a former Houston police officer.)

  • At least Cornyn is honest enough to admit that he doesn't care about covering pre-existing conditions. 

  • Make no mistake about it: Next spring the Supreme Court will strike down Obamacare on the legal basis that the repeal of the individual mandate "tax" destroyed the only way it was constitutional.  And its death will take with it coverage for pre-existing conditions.  (I think we forget that the Republican lead lawsuit to kill Obamacare started and flourished because of the ruling of Fort Worth federal district judge Reed O’Connor. By the way, O'Connor used to work for John Cornyn.) 
  • And Another.  (Actually a six months jail sentence imposed in Wisconsin instead of a new arrest.)

  • Legal stuff which is kind of in the weeds: 
    • Since I've gone back and taken a hard look at the  Michael Morton case, here's the appellant court opinion from 2010 where the court ordered the testing of the bandana over the objection of the Williamson County D.A. This was before it was known that the bandana actually contained the DNA of the victim and the real killer.   It's interesting to read the opinion discuss how it "might" contain relevant evidence. 

    • I looked up the name of the assistant D.A. who was assigned to fight the testing on appeal by his boss, John Bradley.  The name was Doug Arnold. It was familiar to me so I look it up, and this is what I found. Williamson County, folks. Williamson County. Everyone who takes part in a travesty down there becomes a judge.

  • Someone check on Rudy this morning. 

  • I'm suspicious of anyone who posts random Bible verses on social media. It's kind of a "Hey, look at me! I'm such a good person that I'm thinking about the Bible this morning and you're not!" And that's especially true when it comes from a politician. (And, yes, I can't stand this guy. I think Jeff Leach is the ultimate fraud.)

  • The fact that this kid is being turned into some type of folk hero is disturbing. 


  • I rarely mention baseball because I find it ridiculously boring (and always have.) But the Minnesota Twins losing 18 straight playoff games got my attention because I don't understand how that can possibly happen. They have now been eliminated in the first round by being swept in 2020 (2 games), 2019 (3 games), 2017 (1 game wildcard), 2010 (3 games), 2009 (3 games), 2006 (3 games), 2004 (lost 3 of the last four.)  That's impossible.