12.23.2020

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

 

  • Texas hospitalizations: "Oh, my" again! The peak during the second wave was 10,893 on July 22nd. We are closing in on that number. 

  • So late yesterday, after almost all of Congress had left D.C., Trump threatened either to veto or simply not sign the Stimulus bill (and the entire government funding bill that goes along with it) unless our check is $2,000 instead of the $600 currently allocated.  That put Republicans in a panic and Democrats throwing him their support.  It's anyone's guess whether Trump is bluffing. 

  • An off-duty deputy with the Wise County Sheriff's Office shot a neighbor's dog in Alvord after it allegedly tried to kill his cat while reportedly on his own property. Was it justified? Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said, “We are going to look at the evidence, and we will make a decision based on the evidence.”  That, of course, requires an objective and fair investigation and an accurate interpretation of what is and what is not evidence. 
    • This news broke because the dog's owner posted a video of the aftermath on Facebook. Anyone got a link? I'll update this if I get one.  Edit: Here it is. 
  • Trump can pardon and grant clemency to anyone he wants, but to pardon the four wannabee soldiers in Blackwater's massacre at Nisour Square is sickening.   But I suppose I shouldn't be shocked that Trump would give a pass to four war criminals who just happen to be white guys for the killing of 17 civilians who just happen to be Muslim. 

  • We've got some political news. I would endorse David, but I don't want to jinx him with the figurative kiss of death. Although I would like to point out that he is a faithful reader of Liberally Lean so this could be our big break with a direct pipeline to Austin!  (I noticed the Cooke County judge is running as well, but I bet he's a dirty Lib.) 

  • Funny moment that I had to keep to myself at the time: As I was getting checked out by a health care practitioner yesterday, he was humming the lyrics of "I'll go crazy, crazy on you" to Heart's 70s hit which was playing in the background. 
  • Say what?! That crazy talk sounds like something out of the Bible. 

  • This is on my list to read because it might be about my favorite political moment of the year. It came out yesterday in New York Magazine.

  • Forewarn Liberally Lean Triple Reliable Weather Desk Bulletin: Temperature drop begins in Decatur at 11:15 a.m. with winds heavy from the North. 
  • Is it a bad sign when Citibank sent me a fraud alert while Mrs. LL was out Christmas shopping? I even had to call them. (I said all was good but told their sweet employee, Rose, to monitor her purchases very closely and give me a shout anytime.) 


  • Random sports photo that got my attention: A BYU player laying out for a catch yesterday. Click to enlarge. Here's the video. 

  • Messenger: Above the Fold 



at 8:34 AM

12.22.2020

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

 


  • Texas hospitalizations: Oh, my. 

  • A one vehicle rollover on 287 at the Tarrant/Wise County line shut down the highway for "several hours" last night around midnight. The driver was Joshua A. Daniel, 23, of Azle and passenger George Yawakie, 34, were both taken to JPS. 
  • COVID stimulus bill news: 

  • I'd bet big money that Ted Cruz will run for President again in 2024 even if Trump chooses to do the same. And he's studied and learned from Trump. Unlike 2016, he will be a crazy bull-in- the-China-shop in the primaries. He now knows what works. 
  • The trade publication for Texas lawyers ran a story (behind a paywall) of the big verdict being taken away from a Decatur law firm. I'm not real sure how much this lady had to do with it -- it was a very short and simple opinion that reversed the case. And I know she didn't even do the oral argument although she did sign off on the bank's brief (along with four other lawyers from the firm.)

  • And you think Shelley Luther had it bad because she had to spend a couple of days in the Dallas County hoosegow for violating shut down orders? Story.


  • Jamie Lee Curtis took out a full page ad in the Dallas Morning News on Sunday calling out the Dallas D.A. 

  • I kept seeing this long story all over my Twitter timeline so I finally read it. It's pretty, pretty good. 

  • We've got our first confirmed case of voter fraud where a dead guy voted -- for Trump. 

  • Fox News and  Newsmax have been running pieces retracting their false allegations that the voting machine software led to false voting results.  They were threatened with a lawsuit and both backed down in record time.  I haven't seen one from OAN yet. 

  • Another inmate has died in the Tarrant County Jail. Holy cow. That makes 15 people this year. Sheriff Bill Waybourn should be ashamed.
  • The whole country is turning into a bunch of grifters. 

  • Sports: TCU's offensive coordinator since 2014, Sonny Cumbie, has bolted for the same job at Texas Tech. The former Tech QB had been stripped of his play calling duties this season by Gary Patterson.  Sounds like returning to Tech is a no-brainer (and more fun.) 
  • Sports 2: Former Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene had died at age 58, but they won't tell us why.  That only fuels CTE speculation. 

  • Sports 3: No Cowboys were named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 31 years. Normally, you would next hear of about 20+ players opt out of the game because of "injury" which would cause a couple of dozen new players to suddenly become "pro bowlers." But that won't happen this year because there is no game so there's nothing to opt out of. 
  • My number crunching tells me there about 20 people in the Wise County Jail who have been incarcerated for over 100 days which normally would have been processed through the system by now but for COVID. (Normally it's about 45 people at any given time who have been jailed over 100 days. The current number as of this morning is 68 and has been growing over the year.) 

at 8:32 AM

12.21.2020

Random Monday Morning Thoughts




  • Texas hospitalizations: There's been an increase in 13 out of the last 14 days. Any speculation about a plateau two weeks ago was definitively premature. 

  • Dueling stories on Friday. Maybe Wise County doesn't quality as "rural": 


  • Trump was very Trumpy this weekend:
    • After the Secretary of State (and everyone else and their dog) blamed Russia for the massive cyberattack, Trump defended the country. Didn't I just say that it sure seems like they have a compromising tape of him? It's flat out weird. 

    • He then had nutcases Sydney Powell and Michael Flynn in the Oval Office where he asked about invoking the military to overturn the election. I'm sorry, if that is not treason, what the hell is? It was so crazy that Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Gen. James C. McConville, the Army’s top officer, released a joint statement that said: 'There is no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of an American election.'" But we just go on about our Christmas shopping like this is no big deal. 

  • Crazy attorney Lin Wood is still out there filing election lawsuits but the one he filed on Friday had a Freudian declaration at the end. 

  • After the State fought compensating a man who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned, the Texas Supreme Court finally issued an Order on Friday telling them to pay the man his money. But just look how it all happened: A prosecuting attorney intentionally didn't turn over evidence which would have revealed the man was innocent. Haven't we seen enough of this every where in Texas? The heck with money and compensation, hasn't the time come for DAs and assistant DAs to be jailed over these crimes they are committing?

  • Hey Aggie, Baylor knows your pain. From 2014: 

    The Committee watching the games on Saturday from
    the Gaylord Texas looked beaten down. 

  • I'm still trying to wrap my head around the Rose Bowl game being played at Jerry World. 
  • Tim Dunn's effort to buy a seat in the Texas Senate for Shelley Luther has failed. And she got crushed in Wise County, too, 2,066-1,296 (61.5% to  38.5%)


  • I'm reading a new book on Hitler's rise to power and on Saturday learned how he courted the Brown Shirts/Stormtroopers/Sturmabteilung in the very beginning.  Hitler preached Law and Order but supported those thugs in the streets.  Sounds a little familiar. Heck, the Proud Boys are just Stormtrooper wannabees.  (And, to bring it all home this Christmas season, it was the Brown Shirts chasing the Von Trapp family in the Sound of Music which played last night. I'm just puttin' a little Hitler into your Christmas this year.)

  • I'm actually listening to that book via Audible and the reader, who has a tad bit of a German accent, pronounces "schedule" as "shed-yule", and now I want to do it, too. (Update: Ok, Internet research tells me that Brits pronounce it that way as well. I've watched British shows for years and have never picked that up.)
  • Somehow is a statue of Robert E. Lee in the U.S. Capitol. Correction: There was one until yesterday. 

  • Tiger's son was in the news this weekend as he played in a tournament with his father. Anyone else think that kid is going to be insufferable? 

  • I don't know a thing about TAPPS football in Texas, but one final fame ended in a doozy. I'm not sure I've ever seen a tie game with 15 seconds left suddenly end with a Pick Six on the final play. Watch it. 
  • For the love of all things holy, I hope the first thing that President Joe Biden does is kill Space Force. What a dumb publicity stunt. 

  • The government has enough of your money for Space Force but, after a year of COVID, can only find enough to give you back a measly $600 in the new stimulus package.


at 8:31 AM

12.18.2020

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

at 2:30 PM

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

 

  • Texas Hospitalizations: + 100 to 9,628 (but the Texas Tribune failed to update their chart.)

  • A house fire that kills three in Decatur, including two children, seems like a big deal, but I can't find that it was covered by any metroplex media.
  • Local legal news: A Decatur law firm won a $98 million dollar verdict in 2017 in a banking/lending case which was tried in Dallas. The case was reversed this week by the Dallas Court of Appeals with a ruling of "We . . . render judgment that Bagwell take nothing on his claim." Ouch. 
  • That case involved a lot of lawyers. List below.  What do you think about a society where if the government is trying to lock a guy up for years he'll often be defended by only one lawyer (who may or may not be competent), but when money is involved in a case you see a list like this?: 

  • Speaking of money vs. crime, this lady had a heck of history. She was eventually removed from office. (Below, that's "billion" with a "b".)


  • When I've told you I grew up on the mean streets of Bridgeport, I really meant it. Records show that an Ethan Davis out of Bowie was arrested for Agg Assault by Bridgeport PD yesterday, but I don't know if it is the same case.

  • In an unrelated incident, I noticed a guy was arrested last night for DWI and the very, very rare charge of Bribery. Rhome PD is making the claim. I'm interested. 
  • Watch a nurse faint on camera after getting the COVID vaccine. It's meaningless, but people will still freak out. 

  • The soon to be ex-Vice President received the vaccine about an hour ago on live TV.  And, yes, Mother was there and got the injection as well. (Hey. Whatever happened to the COVID-19 Task Force? )


  • With the latest cyberattack by Russia occurring and Trump failing, once again, to say a word negative towards them,  I will always wonder if they do have a compromising video of him. I'm not saying they do, he just that he acts like they do. Flashback:

  • If you get a chance, watch some of the Texas high school football finals today and next weekend. I caught the last part of the two of the games yesterday, and they were more exciting than any pro or college game you'll see all year. Three of the four 11 man games have been decided by 1 point. 
    • Example: In the pic below, Jim Ned (the team, not the person), who at one point trailed 21-0, went for two in the first overtime to win the game outright. It worked. They won it. Get this: The cornerback covering him rushed for 240 yards in the first half. 

  • Random college football practice pic below (click to enlarge). It's Stanford using the field of Santa Barbara City College which just happens to sit right on the ocean. 


  • Time which has passed since the Wise County Sheriff's Office has failed to solve the murder of Lauren Whitener in her home at Lake Bridgeport: 532 days
  • Messenger: Above the Fold


at 8:34 AM
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)