11.09.2023

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts




Chris Christie was winning as governor of New Jersey.


  • The defendant in the Harris Hospital capital murder case took the stand yesterday.  He didn't deny firing the bullets which killed two people, he just said that it wasn't his intent to kill them.  Hey, it's a Hail Mary and the chances of it working are less than 2%, but it's his only chance.

    • But, man, he was wheels off. He actually did a pretty good job of trying to portray himself as calm and meek, but he dropped casual F bombs left and right simply because he couldn't help himself.  
    • One interesting fact that you won't hear about concerns his testimony about going to the hospital to visit his girlfriend who had just given birth.  I don't think he had any intent to kill at that point (the gun was actually with his baby momma in the hospital.)  In any event, he got lost and couldn't find the hospital. He stopped to get gas at a convenience store, asked for directions but got no help from the clerks, so he was just going to give and go home. But some Good Samaritan overhead that he was looking for Harris Hospital and gave him directions.  I'm a big believer in the Butterfly Effect. 
  • Ivanka testified in the Trump Organization's fraud trial yesterday.  The courtroom artist must hate her. 


  • County Judge J.D. Clark posted new pics of the Wise County courthouse renovation.  There is a spiral staircase that leads up to the bell tower, and it used to go all the way down to the third floor. However, at some point the bottom of it was cut off and the remainder was enclosed above a new ceiling.  It will be restored. I love all of this. 
    Red marking from Liberally Lean Graphics Dept.


  • There was a Republican debate last night while Trump held a rally as counter-programming.  Rosanne Barr introduced him and, after watching it, I'm beginning to believe that MAGA is right: This country might need to be destroyed. We deserve everything we get if this is where we are headed. 

  • Remember yesterday I said that Tony Buzbee would probably make it to a runoff in a Houston City Council race. Well, he did. But now there's pretty good evidence he funded the third candidate, who just happened to have an Hispanic name, for the sake of creating a runoff in the first place. 
  • Famed wrestler Kevin Von Erich is looking a little older these days. I used to follow him on Twitter when he lived in Hawaii -- that is, before he got banned for posting anti-vax conspiracy theories and pro-Insurrection content. He was in Dallas last night to promote a new movie.

  • Let's check in on Fox News. (I have no idea what's going on here.)

  • Good for him.

  • Nerdy legal stuff: The Fifth Circuit slapped down Fort Worth federal judge Mark Pittman again. This time for imposing a $250 sanction against a lawyer for a silly reason.  (Opinion here. The sanction arose out of a sexual harassment case involving Weatherford College.) Pittman is a Trump appointee who replaced the retired judge John McBride. 

  • Another Trump judge -- this one who issues crazy rulings out of Amarillo -- was threatened.  Don't do that. 

  • There is never, ever a reason to refer to yards gained in football as "scrimmage yards" or "from scrimmage." Never. It adds absolutely nothing. 
  • Messenger - Above the Fold