1.09.2023

Random Monday Morning Thoughts




With news that HCA is in talks to buy the local Decatur hospital, I was surprised to see that I actually mentioned both of them in the same bullet point 10 years ago. HCA built Medical City Alliance. Wise Regional built a small surgical center. Both are on North Tarrant Parkway at I-35.


  •  Brazil went all January 6th yesterday. Is Trump now president there?




     

    • But they deal with Insurrectionists a little differently than us. 

    • For the last couple of months, Steve Bannon has tried to create a little Italy/Mussolini in Brazil as a companion to his vision of America. He called for a January 6th in Brazil last November at a CPAC convention in Mexico City. Video flashback: 
  • Kevin McCarthy finally became Speaker on Friday night, but it was high entertainment. Stay with me here. 
    • Thinking he finally had the votes, McCarthy called for another ballot (the 14th) on Friday evening. He had gotten a couple of the remaining six holdouts to agree to vote a combination of "McCarthy" and/or "present" which would allow him to get the majority.
    • But when it came time for the lead hold-out to vote, Matt Gaetz, he left the chamber to go into the hallway.

    • At the end, Gaetz came back into the Chamber and it was all down to him. If he voted "McCarthy", he would win. If he voted "Present", McCarthy would fall one short. He voted "Present". Oh, my. McCarthy loses again! (But the Republicans actually applaud the vote because they are confused by the count and thought "present" meant McCarthy wins - video.)

    • McCarthy, outraged, then charged up the aisle to confront Gaetz. Something had gone wrong.  Video.

    • After McCarthy walked away, a bubba from Alabama started to go after Gaetz and had to be humorously restrained. Video

    • Ready to give up for the day, McCarthy calls to adjourn for the night, and that vote looks well on its way to passing. But wait! Someone is talking to Gaetz. There might be a breakthrough. 

    • Gaetz will change his vote! So let's not adjourn! McCarthy and others race down to the front table to change their votes to adjourn before the gavel drops. They now vote nay on adjourning. Video.

    • Another vote and success! McCarthy is Speaker. 

    • Not everyone was entertained. Note the book. 

  • Also on Friday:


  • We had Uvalde news over the weekend. But none of it involved the firing/retirement of the the $300,000 Man. 
    • But there was an unheard of firing of a Texas Ranger.

    • Momma was arrested for something new.

  • Developments in one of the craziest crimes ever in North Texas -- a cartel hit in Southlake Town Center.


  • The Chairman of the Wise County Republicans went after our state rep in the Denton Record Chronicle in a Letter to The Editor. (Full letter here.)  I think this violates Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment, but those days are long gone. 

  • The man who was arrested for throwing a beer at Ted Cruz during the Astro's parade has been no-billed by the grand jury.


  • Remember how I told you that part of Hitler's rise to power was to celebrate the day of his failed coup and make a martyr out of his supporters who died that day? Video.

  • The NFL is such a racket. You can pay a player less when on injured reserve? (And I seriously doubt the Bills have "worked something out" here. You can't just bypass union contracts even when they are bad.)

  • I liked TCU's Max Dugan before other people liked TCU's Max Dugan. From 10/5/2020:

  • Cowboy notes: (1) With Philadelphia's win yesterday, there has not been a repeat winner of the NFC East since 2003. List.  (2) Dak has thrown three pick-sixes in the last four games, and an interception in seven straight games. (3) Cowboys open up as a three point favorite over Tampa Bay.  (4) The last time the Cowboys won a playoff road game was 1992. They are 0-8 since then. 

1.06.2023

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







Random Friday Morning Thoughts




This was a response to Sandy Hook. I suppose that policy has been repealed because they wouldn't, heaven forbid, want to appear to be "woke."


  •  It's the second anniversary of the day we almost lost America: The Trump Insurrection.  




  • The Speaker vote continues. Eleven votes and still no Speaker of the House. They will go through the motions again today. Delicious. 


    • Relevant 1/6 flashbacks of two of the big players in this fiasco:


    • This weird photograph posted by Wise County's own crazy Ronny Jackson is getting a little more relevant. Lauren Boebert, who is leading the charge against McCarthy, is standing beside Jackson, and Byron Donalds, who is getting votes for Speaker, is on the far left.


  • Photojournalist Fox4Terry out there breaking news this morning. Here's the location on a map if interested.  

  • The full probable cause affidavit in the Idaho slayings has been released, and the New York Times has a great timeline summary of it (free link).  Although the survivors in the multi-level apartment are innocent, the fact below is almost impossible to fathom. Remember that the 911 call won't be made until almost noon.  Kernodle is one of the victims here: 


  • Re: The recovering Buffalo Bills player. Anyone buying that this is how it all went down two nights ago?

  • Remember how  I believed cops were using a database of license plate readers to instantly determine, during a traffic stop, where the car had been over the last few days? Well, I was right and it's no longer a secret. The national database the cops use is called "DEASIL" and the log-in page for law enforcement is on the web. And DPS even openly solicits local agencies to become a part of it's license plate reader database system. I've seen cops now openly talk about the database on bodycams.

  • Gone.

  • This Tarrant County judge needed to throttle it back a little bit regarding his "contempt of court" dog and pony show -- a show where the big finale shamefully occurred behind closed doors.  This was all over an alleged violation of a "gag order" for witnesses -- which is arguably unconstitutional in the first place. And then to resolve the issue in the shadows is a bad look. (He's made the news before.)

    KERA reporter

  • Tarrant County DA/Judge news. I've heard of other big moves coming. 

  • Time which has passed since the Wise County Sheriff's Office, despite having a full male DNA profile, has failed to solve the murder of Lauren Whitener in her home at Lake Bridgeport: 3 years, 185 days.
  • Messenger: Above the Fold

1.05.2023

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts




From the Messenger's 1/15/13 issue. The home was just west of Decatur.


  • Still no results in the election for the Mayor of Crazytown.


    • Trump had no impact in getting him elected, so another man is coming to the rescue before dawn.

    • This Speaker's election is turning everything upside down. Last night Hannity went after Boebert, and MSNBC invited her on.   


    • The hosts on Fox and Friends are mad at the "20 rebels" this morning

  • Reading between the lines of the Messenger's most recent lead story, the hospital in Decatur will most certainly be sold to HCA - "a massive healthcare provider based out of Nashville with 182 hospitals." On possibly a related note, is this report from the American Hospital Association.

  • The alleged killer of the four students in Idaho was brought back to the state last night. Although no new facts were released, Nance Grace was on TV this morning to convict him.  (Honestly, I just wanted an excuse to post this screenshot.) 

  • Missed this one yesterday out of Granbury.



  • I want that woman's press agent. The Decatur High grad who gave birth to twins in different years made it all the way to Good Morning America

  • Does anything matter anymore?  


  • Montague County news.

  • On the morning of December 30th (last Friday), there was a ridiculously long line wrapped around Spec's liquor at Walnut and Central Expressway in Dallas. Some thought it was because of all liquor stores being closed on the following Sunday and Monday, but that wouldn't make sense for a Friday. Turns out, it had something to do with a release of a bourbon. It all makes no sense to me.

  • It was a 20 year contract over in Denton, but there was a strange "opt out" provision. Apogee has now opted out of UNT naming rights.

  • Random passing rates for the State Bar exam.

  • Buc-ee’s by the Speedway is adding a $6 million car wash