Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

 

• Texas Hospitalizations: +269. Look out. (The Update says the last available data from local Wise Regional indicates it has an all time high of 16 COVID patients.)
  
  
  
• Doesn't Big 10 football start up this week? How are the Wolverines going to navigate through this? 
  
  
  
• Trump walked out of a 60 Minutes interview yesterday because he didn't like Leslie Stahl's "tone."  It sounds like the interview had gone on for about 45 minutes when he just finally got frustrated by the questions. The only question now is whether we will have to wait until Sunday before CBS releases the segment. Note: His Chief of Staff this morning denied Trump "walked out." 
  
  
  
• NBC Dateline was in Decatur yesterday filming about the unsolved murder of Lauren Whitener. Multiple interviews were done at Veteran's Park in Decatur. 
• Man, they have been all over this case from the start, even before it entered the Innocence Project stage. The producer assigned to the segment first paid a visit to town to see all the major players on December 20, 2019. 
• These were just "moment in time" interviews. They intend to come back for much more. 
• Remember when I bragged about my CBS 11 interview on how I knew how to pull my jacket down in the back just like in Broadcast News? This time I completely forgot and the Dateline cameraman -- and I'm not making this up -- came over to me in the beginning and told me to "raise up" as he jerked my jacket down from behind.
• This story was in the Washington Post yesterday. Soon -- and I mean very soon -- we won't have any confidence that any video or photo we see is actually real. 
  
  
  
• I had completely forgot Trump refused to commit to this four years ago: 
  
  
  
• Best photo from the Cowboy game Monday night.
  
  
  
• I'm constantly hearing from people who should know that the amount of "Human Trafficking" might be more hype than reality. There's now some data to support it: In 2019, there were only 79 arrests made in all of Texas for that offense. Additionally, for the underlying offense of prostitution, there were only 7 arrests of people under 17 years of age. Yes, any one case is bad but those are pretty small numbers for the state. 
• If the NFL season ended today, Dallas (2-4) would host a playoff game against Green Bay.

  

  Photo posted because I like it. (Before you get good-ol'-day syndrome, you
  should know Dallas lost, 54-13, on 10/18/70)
  

  
  
• Let me hit you with pop culture overload: The lead singer for The Outfield has died which led to the following discovery. (And I wasn't familiar as I should have been with all of the fine work of David Fincher.)
  
  
  
• My nephew always raves about The West Wing, and wanted me to watch it.  I've slowly made my through the first two seasons (which is 40+ episodes.)  Yep, it's really, really good, but do I dare make this observation: It is incredibly educational. And I'm dead serious about that. But at the same time, if you watch it now you'll also feel like you are watching something that no longer exists. 
• Let me give another thumbs up to a TV series which I really enjoyed: Rectify. DNA exonerates (kind of) a man and he then returns to his family in a small Southern town. A sheriff, a prosecutor, an Innocence Project lawyer, religion, and small town gossip all have big roles. 
  
  
  
• The Justice Department sued Google yesterday over alleged anti-trust violations. Who do you want to bet on? Google's team of lawyers or Justice Department lawyers (who all might have a new boss in three months.)
• Messenger: Above the fold

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

 

• Texas Hospitalizations: +93. Upward bound again. 
  
  
  
• A gentle reminder for the "it's just the flu" and "masks don't work" crowd: 
  
  
  
• The article doesn't expressly say it, but it looks like Parker County got hit with a ransomware attack. And this sounds like it is causing them a problem: "The county’s court system was taken offline and all courts are closed at this time." (And for you Wise County tech folks, there is a an easy back-up system that is already in place if you utilize it.)
  
  
  
• Below: The President of the United States.  And I don't even understand the "trying to talk people out of" part. 
  
  
  
• Drudge continues to drag him. 
  
  
  
• Troy Aiman and Joe Buck got caught on a hot mic apparently mocking stadium flyovers. (Audio.) Aikman jokingly(?) ended it with "That stuff ain't happening with Kamala/Biden ticket, I'll tell you that right now, pardner." Aikman was on The Ticket this morning for his weekly radio show but The Musers didn't ask him about it. So sad for the Courage Boys. But you should have heard the Alt-Right Boys on WBAP this morning arguing over whether Aikman and Buck had revealed themselves as Secret Dirty Libs.  
  
  
  
• Oh, my. It's not real clear in this story as to what allegedly happened. One sentence says, "Colin McLaughlin is accused of having paid for sex with a woman who was his client in January 2019" and another says, "The indictment accused McLaughlin of knowingly offering to pay another for the purpose of engaging in a sexual conduct."  Quick thoughts: (1) Prostitution is generally a dumb law but the allegation that it is with a client tricks that up quite a bit, (2) It's not readily apparent to me why this is felony charge since prostitution is normally a misdemeanor, (3) How'd the cops get involved in all of this? Is there some back story that we are not privy to? There normally is.   Edit: A faithful reader caught that the story says the offense carries with it "a maximum of 6 months in jail." If that's true, it's very possible a grand jury was used just as an extra "precaution" to indict a misdemeanor just to make sure everything looks like it's on the up and up. 
  
  
  
  
• It's been under the radar, but last week the writers of the Star-Telegram all decided to unionize. And they seem uniformly united in the move. They've all changed their Twitter icons. 
  
  
  
• Legal nerdy stuff: Can cops pursue you into your house without a warrant claiming "exigent circumstances" when the only circumstance that exists is they just saw you commit a Class C (fine only) offense? The Supreme Court just agreed to answer the question. And it happens more times that you would think (e.g. cops see you roll through a stop sign a block from your house and you get to your garage before they stop you. Normally they could would just knock on the door and ask you to come out, but sometimes they'll at least enter the garage to try to get to you. And sometimes they barge right in.)
• Very odd random Cowboy thoughts: (1) Man, I just don't get this Kyler Murray hype. (2) Andy Dalton is too cocky to just be a spare quarterback. (3) I don't like my coaches to be fat. (4) Others have brought up that Zeke ain't right because he has had the 'Rona. There might be something to that.
• Trump was just on Fox and Friends.  Chains, Trains, and Automobiles. Audio.
  
  
  
• A photographer has sued Bevo!  Here's a video of the incident. The photojournalist “was on one knee in front of the portable railing which Bevo was behind,” according to the petition. “Bevo XV rammed his longhorns twice into Plaintiff’s back causing permanent injury to Plaintiff’s neck and back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Oh, My Part 2! There are just average guys out there who have been scarred for life with sexual registration requirements for less. And I really like Toobin but sheesh . . . .

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

 

• Texas hospitalizations: The 7 day average is still rising but we are -37 compared to when I last posted the update on Friday. That's kind of surprising to me. 
  
  
  
• Trump must be stressed because he went to church on Sunday. He also gave us maybe the best photo of the campaign. (Here's a video of the moment which is, uh, weird.) 
  
  
  
• Saw a story where the campaign manager for Kay Granger's opponent, Lisa Welch, was suing her for $500,000. That sounds like a relationship that is gone awry. But I didn't now this: Welch was described as "college professor from Decatur."
• The presidential election, like it always is, is only about a handful of states. Do I think Trump will lose? After 2016, I refuse to predict. But this Twitter post of three graphics is a great tutor as to what combination of swing states Trump needs to win.   The circles obviously represent states (with their size corresponding to their electoral college clout) and are shaded red or blue based upon the current polling (which I certainly know to take with a grain of salt.) It assumes Trump takes Florida, Ohio, and Georgia which he must have.  Save this for election night. Click on the link to view it all better.
  
  
  
• But if it all goes South for Trump on election day, those who embraced him don't get to abandon him. And you certainly can't start to running away from him now. It doesn't work this way. Cornyn owns Trump. They all own Trump. 
  
  
  
• There is no bottom for some of these people. 
  
  
  
• A bunch of Bubbas were arrested by Trump's FBI for planning to kidnap the governor of Michigan so what does Trump do? He leads a Michigan crowd in a chant of "Lock her up!" And this occurred on the same weekend as the groups "training video" for their abduction plan was released. 
  
  
    
• I learned for the first time this week that Texas, and other states, used to have Congressmen who were voted upon "at-large" (that means "statewide" for those who aren't a political expert such as myself) instead of by Congressional districts. In Texas, that would normally happened when we would get a new representative(s) after the census and the legislature didn't redraw all the districts to include it.  That ended in 1967 after the Supreme Court's "one person-one vote" ruling. 
• Come on, that's funny.
  
  
  
• Random TV movie: A former Dallas QB out there seducing women to bust up the Klan. (And the line of "Or getting his own throat cut" seems a little harsh.) 
  
  
  
• Biden bought the house in 1972, shortly after the death of his wife and daughter, and it cost $185,000. He sold it in 1996 for $1.2 million. And Biden hasn't been a a U.S. Senator for over a decade. (And you guys want everyone to believe the New York Post stolen laptop story planted by Giuliani and Bannon?) 
  
  
  
• I watched The Matrix for the first time this weekend. I didn't care about the cool special effects -- although they are still very cool -- what I wanted was more on the concept of that we are all living in a computer simulation.  Let me tell you something, that theory ain't that crazy. 
  
  
  
• Random real estate story in this Sunday's Dallas Morning News for a third floor condo. 
  
  
  
• Very rare music link for me: Miley Cyrus covering Zombie by The Cranberries. Nothing wrong with that at all. Girl's a nut, but she can sing. 

It's Friday -- Let's Get Out of Here

Meanwhile at Target... a bride's ultimatum. pic.twitter.com/CgvIX70029

— gregarious (@mistergeezy) October 10, 2020

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11 year old went full GTA mode with a bus pic.twitter.com/I2foirybPT

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 13, 2020

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While Mark Melancon is warming up in the bullpen, he catches Ozzie Albies’ HR ball. 👀😂#ForTheA #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/IlFrOsphxb

— Robert Flores (@RoFlo) October 13, 2020

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When you've finally become an adult and have your priorities straight. pic.twitter.com/fSSIX2I6XT

— The Cultured Ruffian (@CulturedRuffian) October 12, 2020

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pic.twitter.com/xrdO9mSikg

— Memes 🐸🔌 (@supplierofmemes) October 16, 2020

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pic.twitter.com/hq9KiTFTKx

— Out of Context Human Race (@NoContextHumans) October 16, 2020

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Random Friday Morning Thoughts

 

• Texas Hospitalizations: +132. I'm officially taking us up a DEFCON level. It looks like the second wave is coming. 
  
  
  
• COVID quickhits:
• Wise Regional announced that their beds dedicated to COVID-19 are full and are expanding the area dedicated to the disease. That seems like a big deal. (I don't see in today's Messenger story the actual number of beds which reached capacity.) 
• Got a report that First Baptist Cottondale is shutting down due to an outbreak. 
• The Indianapolis Colts announced this morning they had "several" players test positive and have shut down the facilities. They are (were) scheduled to play the Bengals on Sunday. Edit: Sounds like false positives now.
• If this second wave hits hard, the seasons of high school, college and the NFL will be completely shut down in a month. 
• It's all drugs, all the time.
  
  
  
• If you missed Trump's Town Hall, here's a summary:

  

  Official nodder, right. 
  

  
  
• He claims he doesn't know (or can't remember) whether or not he tested positive for COVID before the debate with Joe Biden.
• Amazingly, wouldn't wouldn't condemn QAnon but said, "I do know they are very much against pedophilia. They fight it very hard." 
• Oddly, wouldn't say if he was pro-life or pro-choice. 
• Wouldn't retract a retweet saying that Obama and Biden and Team Seal Six didn't kill Osama bin Laden. "That was a retweet! People can decide for themselves!" 
• The Coronavirus is "rounding the corner and we have the vaccines coming."
• Proclaimed that wearing masks cause you to contract COVID-19 since "just the other day, they came out with a statement that 85% of the people that wear masks catch it." (And if you think that was a misspeak, he said the same thing earlier in the day at a rally.)
• This morning, Trump thinks he did very well last night. He also woke up early to tell us the Babylon Bee is a real news site. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Then the Babylon Bee immediately made fun of him.
  
  
  
• Would you also want the government to subpoena Sean Hannity, Lou Dobbs, and Tucker Carlson for allegedly spreading of misinformation? I wouldn't. 
  
  
  
• I was absolutely right about the Amy Coney Barrett confirmation hearings. The Democrats decided it was a lost cause to go after her and didn't want to do anything to derail what looks to them to be a sure Biden win.
• Dave Campbell's Texas Football is running a weekly poll to ultimately decide the greatest all time high school teams. I think this week we can all agree that the 2005 Southlake Carroll team or Art Briles' 1994 Stephenville team can't hold a candle to the 1962 Jacksboro Tigers. 
  
  
  
• How in the world have UT players not stayed on the field for the Eyes of Texas all season long but we just learned about it this week? 
• Time that has passed since the Wise County Sheriff's Office has failed to solve the murder of Lauren Whitener at Lake Bridgeport: 1 year, 3 months, 11 days.
• Messenger: Above the Fold. 

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

 

• Texas Hospitalizations: +78. I'm beginning to get that déjà vu feeling all over again. 
  
  
  
• COVID quick hits:
• Breaking this morning: The Atlanta Falcons have shut down their facility after "multiple" positive tests. They are (were?) scheduled to play at Minnesota on Sunday.  
• Alabama's Nick Saban has the 'Rona. He's 68 years old. Alabama plays Georgia this weekend. 
• Despite the increase in hospitalizations, 45 Texas public schools have now announced they will end online classes. To add to the confusion, the Tarrant County public health director suggested yesterday that all schools return to virtual-learning only.
• Missed this one from a couple of days ago. It's not a courthouse crab infestation, but it'll do. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• So yesterday Twitter was blocking any discussion that Trump was actually impeached over his attempt to have Ukraine make up a story about Biden, or do I have that wrong? 
• I never thought I'd see the Right Wing lose their minds about what a private company does, and then demand government intervention to force that company to do something they didn't want to do. Freedom!
• Related: Who "downloads" their emails? 
• Saw this snake in the driveway last night. It was only about 18 inches long but I suppose it has family. Someone ID it for me.  Email me. Let me hear from ya. I'll post the answer with an "Edit" once I get it. Edit: Got a couple of votes for "rat snake". Double edit: It's a landslide for a rat snake. 
  
  
  
• I hid from the snake by running to my Super Secret First Warn Weather Basement and did some work while I was there. I'm putting the cold front "hitting" Decatur at 8:41 a.m. You'll notice it by the wind.
• Stuff like this doesn't bother me a bit. If I'm sitting at that table, I'd freeze up if a Senator asked me to "Name the last three District Attorneys in Wise County." 
  
  
  
• John Cornyn posted a picture from 2018 to own the libs. (He then took the post down after realizing his screw up.) I can understand how Ted Cruz can gets elected in Texas, but what exactly is the appeal of Cornyn? 
  
  
  
  
• This is insane. Both the mother and the child died. 
  
  
  
• This seems like it would cause lots of consternation in Austin. 
  
  
  
• It looks like oil prices have now stabilized around $40 a barrel. I think I remember reading that the price needs to be in the $55+ range to sustain the West Texas oil fields.