Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

That's the picture of a bike hit by a car in Runaway Bay this week 10 years ago. The rider was a Texas Tech student who was, fascinatingly, riding from Lubbock to the metroplex. And that is all we ever learned about it. Never learned his name. Never learned his condition. 

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•  This cabin at the Wise County Reunion has raised some eyebrows.
  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  

  
  
• One of the weirdest storms pop-up storms ever hit Lake Bridgeport yesterday afternoon. 101 degrees one moment followed by dark skies, pouring rain, and straight line winds toppling trees and throwing around carports. Then back to clear skies. Power was knocked out for six hours as Oncor repaired downed lines. 
  
  
  
• Texas State Rep. Jake Ellzey on Tuesday defeated Republican Susan Wright to replace Wright’s late husband, Ron Wright, in Congress.  Trump backed Wright but Rick Perry was probably right about something for once: 
  
  
  
• That's misleading. It's either get vaccinated or submit to regular testing.  
  
  
  
• The reason hospital numbers are a better judge than the "new cases" numbers for tracking COVID is that the number of people being tested now as compared to last year is night and day. There are no drive-through centers to be tested if you have a hunch you might have it. Plus, I've always though hospitalizations were a better barometer. 
• We are right at 5,000 hospitalizations in Texas and rising. Last summer's wave peaked at 11,000. The peak last January was at 14,000. I'm clueless and to what it will hit this time.
• There should be a rule that only people who can do a cartwheel should have an opinion on this. 
  
  
  
• That's pricey even for the Park Cities.
  
  
  
• Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby makes close to $3 million. Why? What exactly did he do? And even if you can identify what that is, he has failed miserably at it. 
  
  
  
• I finally finished Lonesome Dove. I've got lots of hot opinions about it and most of them aren't positive. I'm debating going on a multi-bullet pointed rant.
• Messenger: Above the Fold

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

This was on July 25, 2011.   

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• New this morning. Yesterday she posted “I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times." 

  

  Update #1: So a physical injury?

  

  Update #2: "Medical issue" is vague.

  

  Update #3: From a UPI reporter. Others have confirmed.

  
  
• The Russians (who are confusingly not officially the Russians) won the team competition after her withdrawal. 
  
  
  
• It's just for show since it's not on the agenda for the Special Session, but here's the bill to keep UT from leaving the Big 12 without permission from the legislature. I note that Jacksboro's David Spiller is one of the very many sponsors of it. Sic 'em. 
  
  
  
• And state rep Jeff Leach (who, unlike Spiller, oozes "politician") decided to try and be funny and take a shot at the Longhorns. That's odd because he barely won his election last time. He can't afford to alienate anyone. 
  
  
  
• I think the media got a little too excited about someone being "stoned" to death. 
  

  

  
  
  
  
• In kind of a weird coincidence, two Saturdays ago I took the time to re-read The Lottery which I had found online.  Man, that's a haunting short story. I also watched the 18 minute short film on it produced by Encyclopedia Britannica from 1969 which is true to the story, and has a very young Ed Begley Jr. in it.
  
  
  
• It's perfect: Yesterday Trump endorsed the most corrupt AG in Texas history in his re-election campaign. In doing so, Trump turned his back on George P. Bush who sold out his family in seeking Trump's endorsement. If you want, you can probably get these (real) George P koozies on the cheap:
  
  
  
• The QAnon Republican congressman is going all Old Testament this morning. Praise God and pass the ammunition. 
  
  
  
• Civil jury trials have been "paused" for at least one week in Dallas County because of COVID upticks. I saw this quote in the story, and I'm not sure that is true at all. As a comparison, jury questionnaires ask you what religion you associate with. And, arguably, potential jurors are asked much more personal questions than that all the time. 
  
  
  
• Hadn't seen much about this: Sul Ross' offensive coordinator, who was just 37 years old, has died of COVID. And with over a dozen cases, the team has suspended any summer practice.
  
  
  
• Texas COVID hospitalization update: My usual go-to chart from the Texas Tribune is being revised more slowly than it was a few months back. The official numbers show 4,626 for July 25th. I bet we've cracked 5,000 in the hospital by now. This is officially Surge #3. 
  
  
   
• Texas "vaccine passport" support and lack thereof. Think link breaks it down by political affiliation as well.
  
  
  
• I'm no business guy, but it seems like the cost of foreign goods is about to skyrocket when we see the shipping cost for just one of those forty foot containers skyrocket like this. $10,000? 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• As the Big 12 disintegrates in front of our eyes, what was wrong with this in the first place?
  
  
  
• In that capital murder case highlighted below, the guy elbowed a bailiff in the face after the guilty verdict.  (Video.) His timing wasn't great. Today the jury comes back to deliberate his punishment of life or death. 

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

Another nearby mass shooting I had completely forgotten about. 

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•  I told you no one would get arrested. 
  
  
  
• I can't tell if Dak Prescott is vaccinated or not. He wouldn't answer that question on Friday saying, "I think that's HIPAA." Sheesh.  Then Jerry Jones, when asked about the comment, said that Dak was doing "everything he can to win games" adding "if you know what I mean."  He also said only five Cowboys weren't vaccinated. 
  
  
  
• This reporter posted a clip of what she has to put up with when trying to do a live shot. Language warning. Even a local DFW female reporter chimed in about how this type of harassment happens all the time. 
  

  

  
  
  
  
• Trump's White Delta Variant Super Spreader event on Saturday.
  
  
  
• Just a U.S. Attorney being sloppy in it's official twitter feed but still leaving the post up all weekend.
  
  
  
• "Solicitation of prostitution" becomes a felony in Texas on September 1st. That, the mere uttering of the words to an undercover cop becomes a felony. 
  
  
  
• I took this in Bridgeport because it got my attention. I'll admit I wasn't familiar with the "Texas Military Department." 
  
  
  
• The Cleveland Indians name change brought this response. Funny.
  
  
  
• The U.S. basketball team lost to the French. The French? It's the first time the U.S. team had lost a game in the Olympics since 2004.  
  
  
  
• The official University of Maryland twitter account got sassy on Friday. 
  
  
  
• Big 12 Break-Up: Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News made this point about Baylor to the PAC-10 which I've heard more than once.  In the end, I bet TCU, Tech, and Baylor all end up in the AAC where Houston and SMU already reside. 
  
  
  
• Random "fight" video: Watch this smaller guy take two incredible punches and not be fazed. 
  
  
  
• Ticket fans: Junior Miller announced this morning that he should become a father this week at age 57. Oh, my. (He's married to Fox 4's Natalie Solis who I could have sworn I saw on TV this weekend and showed no signs of being pregnant.)
  
  
  
• The longest losing streak in Texas Rangers history is 15 games in 1972. The current one now stands at 12.  Let's do this. 
  
  
  
• In any Olympic event, there should be an extra lane for the average cocky athletic guy who thinks he could compete. Not only would he get his comeuppance, but we would have a good gauge as to how good the Olympians really are. 
• Documentary review: Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage on HBO is wild. And great.