6.24.2021

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts






Mobster Whitey Bulger was finally captured 10 years ago this week after being on the run for 16 years. He would go on two receive two life sentences in federal court in 2013, but would die in 2018. He was the (loosely) basis for Jack Nicholson's character in The Departed. 


  • Man on the Run: Day 12. He's Wise County's own Whitey Bulger (at least the part of being good at hiding out).  EDIT: Captured.

    • But in connection with Royce Wood's escape story, I've noticed a little problem.
    • Yesterday the Update told me that the cops were looking for the guy's girlfriend, Tiffany Caswell. The story was even on Fox 4 News last night. 

    • Tiffany Caswell? Wait a second! That name rings a bell! And it should. This is what I wrote on the Monday morning after Wood had fled from officers the might before.  
    • So law enforcement is now looking for someone who was in the Wise County jail during the heat of the manhunt for the guy? Yep. 
    • She walked out of the Wise County Jail on Tuesday, June 15th. 

    • So was she with him at the time that he fled? Nope. "Caswell is believed to have been involved in a home invasion robbery on Coyote Trail on June 12, [Sheriff Lane] Akin told the Messenger."  So how did the cops end up arresting her on early Monday morning? How'd they come across her? I don't know. Edit: She was captured early this morning as well. 
  • In all the crazy school board news that we've had, the fact that the Bridgeport School Board President just up and quit before a meeting should have been two inch headlines. Last night, the Board accepted his resignation and, once again, voters are left in the dark as to what is going on. 

    • The Messenger's Austin Jackson also posted a pic from last night's Bridgeport school board meeting. That's a heck of a crowd. And I can't quite make it out, but I think I see a T-shirt that equates social distancing to the USSR's Hammer and Sickle. 
      Right there in the middle.
      Zoomed in.

  • Greatest rumor I heard yesterday as to who would become the next Decatur head football coach: Art Briles. The plan is so crazy that it just might work. (He voluntarily resigned as head coach of Mount Vernon High School in December of last year.)
  • Speaking of coaches, I ran across this story of a successful one who grew up in Bridgeport. He's getting a new gig near Houston after "16 years at Cedar Park near Austin, including the last six as head coach, where he led the Timberwolves to a 71-10 overall record, a 2015 Class 5A state championship and a 2020 Class 5A state final appearance." How'd we let him get away?

  • I just predicted this would happen.  Only crazy Justice Thomas thought the government should be allowed to punish a kid for off-campus speech. Good for her, though. But remember, The Bong Hits for Jesus students walked so The Cussing Cheerleader could run. 

  • Not optimal.

  • You'll see news of a Miami condo collapse overnight. Here's the video of it happening. So far they are reporting only one dead. I don't know how that's possible. This photo doesn't do it justice. The video does. 

  • Speaking of crazy, John McAfee has died in a Spanish jail.  I highly recommend this documentary on him (but prepare yourself for a couple of shocking moments):

  • According to the Fox News regular news division, President Joe Biden's popularity has increased.  Tucker Carlson reacted accordingly. 



  • Random travel tidbit: I've always seen pictures of the landmark in Key West which marks the southern most point in the United States. Yesterday, I saw a photo of what it looks like during the day. It's next to a street and there's a line. That's not what I expected.



  • I've started watching Deadwood for the first time. Someone also suggested that they thought I'd like Boardwalk Empire.