Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

This was a graphic for the state money Decatur ISD received in 2013. Here's the most recent data I could find on enrollment.

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• The vote went down as expected. The debt ceiling is always raised.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Let's check in on one of the objectors to raising the debt ceiling.
• Act I.
  
  
  
• Act II. Yep, she really missed the vote.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A Flashback for the Encore: She loves Ronny Jackson and guns, too.
  
  
  
• We've got a new AG yesterday to replace Ken Paxton . . . 
  
  
  
• . . . but it's a little funny that the First Attorney General fired off a memo on Saturday night immediately after the impeachment vote to tell the office that, by law, he was in charge now. I knew he was a short-timer when he added that Texas “has had no better elected official than Ken Paxton defending citizen’s rights, fighting for justice, and preserving freedom.” Grab the spotlight while you can, buddy. Now step aside. 
  
  
  
• Oh, my. Story.  Video.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• I'm still sorting all the relevant laws that were just passed. This one would apply to Wise County. "The money will help bring the minimum salary up to $75,000 for the county sheriff, $45,000 for constables and certain deputies, and $40,000 for jailers."
  
  
  
• Five years after one officer failed to act while a mass shooting occurred at Parkland High School in Florida, his criminal trial has started. Related: No criminal charges have been filed as a result of the Uvalde response. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Republican primary news.
• Collecting Ron DeSantis campaign photos might become a hobby of mine.
  
  
  
• Trump is not well, is he?
  
  
  
• On, no!! The Cheez-It Bowl is becoming the Pop-Tarts Bowl. I want both. Name 'em all after loveable junk food!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• This is turning into an amazing story. And he's almost too good, too fast.  He makes $720,000 this year but if he can keep this up (and that's a big if), he's set to make a fortune.  But his arbitration year, which will be a a huge pay day and is a pre-requisite before becoming a true free agent, isn't until 2027. (Although there are some complicated rules where that can be moved up a year or two.)
  
  
  
• Legal nerdy stuff:  I completely missed a Texas criminal justice fiasco back in April. There were huge headlines last year after four administrators at a Christian school in Midland were arrested for failure to report child abuse. Well, the cases actually went to trial last month, but the DA ended up dismissing the case right in the middle of trial after she accused a detective of lying. But it pretty much sounds like what she really took issue with was the detective's claim that it was the DA's office, not her, that wanted the arrests to me made in the first place. It almost as if they all wanted to distance from a case that wasn't that great to start with. It's a massive cluster worthy of a documentary. Here's a great summary which includes pdfs and a bunch of elected officials scrambling to CYA. Also see here for a deep dive. Fort Worth lawyer Frank Sellers was the lead defense lawyer.  (Thanks emailer.)

  

  Reputations ruined.

  
  

  

  Midland County D.A. Laura Nodolf 

  
  
• Messenger: Above the Fold

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

I believe that even more now. 

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• On the front page of the Dallas Morning News today, a story of how home prices have gone down for the first time in over a decade.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The debt ceiling bill goes to the House today for a vote. There's a 100% chance it will pass. I don't know why I was thinking yesterday
• There are currently 45 Republicans against it, but with all the fast majority of Democrats voting for it, it will be smooth sailing. The hardliners can be mad at McCarthy all they want, but they can't do anything about it. 
  
  
  
• Anyone believe Rep. George Santos was just randomly photographed last night studying the bill and using a highlighter? 
  
  
  
• The Allen outlet mall opens up this morning for the first time since the massacre. 
  
  
  
• We've got Charles Manson family news. Here's her Wikipedia page. 
  
  
  
• She was 19 then.
  
  
  
• She's 73 now. 
  
  
  
• Where are the right-wingers going to be left to shop at or shop for once they are through with this don't-call-it-cancel-culture campaign?
  
  
  
• Republican Primary quick hits: 
• Trump attacked his former press secretary who was about the only person on earth who defended him the day after January 6th. And the word is "milquetoast" and not "milktoast."
  
  
  
• Side note: Texas Rep. Chip Roy, in a tepid attempt at humor, actually even brought this up to her last night as she hosted a show on Fox News. 
  
  
  
• DeSantis' fundraising tour of Texas in a few days. He'll be at the Fort Worth Club but it doesn't say who the money men are behind it. 
  
  
  
• Chris Christi to announce he's in. This man has a 0% chance and how he doesn't realize that is beyond me. 
  
  
  
• Who is Fox News leaning towards this morning?
  
  
  
• Texas district judge news:
• I think this could impact us locally in four years. If approved, the Texas Constitution would be amended to raise the retirement age from 75 to 79. The bill passed a few days ago but needs voter approval. 
  
  
  
• A district judge is retiring in Wichita Falls and this guy is jumping in. Story. That's all we need, another judge who wants to bill himself as a prosecutor, Republican and conservative.
  
  
  
• Side note: I love that reporter but is this this sentence worded correctly? 
  
  
  
• Re: The front page below. That's the strip club which sits on I-30 as you head west out of Fort Worth.  In the lawsuit (pdf) to shut it down, it starts off with "Temptations is a fully-nude, bring-your-own-beverage adult club located in unincorporated Tarrant County, and operates at the Property from 9:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday." What could go wrong? There have been five people killed there since 2018.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

On 5/29/23, the front page of the Dallas Morning News had a story on the stock market's recent surge to 15,409.  For comparison, last Friday it closed at 33,125

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• This seems concerning from a potential escalation standpoint.
  
  
  
• The Texas legislative session ended yesterday, but before they could walk out the door Gov. Abbott declared a special session to begin at 9:30 p.m. It is limited to these two issues:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The impeachment of Ken Paxton continued yesterday with the Articles of Impeachment being formally delivered to the Texas Senate.  It was delivered by the newly named "impeachment managers" which includes Jacksboro's David Spiller. 
  
  
  
• The most unlikely Republican to vote for the impeachment of Paxton, who was also named an impeachment manager, is this MAGA-loving guy, Briscoe Cain. 
  
  
  
• The Wise County Republican Party released a statement coming out against the impeachment. 
• Idiocracy.
  
  
  
• The debt ceiling crisis has been solved. Or has it? It has to get passed the hardliners in the House, and Speaker McCarthy can only afford to lose 5 Republican votes. It's scheduled to be voted on tomorrow if it can get past some complicated maneuvering in a rules committee this afternoon. Edit: I screwed part of that up.
  
  
  
• Legal nerdy stuff. Article free.
  
  
  
• Spoiler: The lawyer cited these cases he got from ChatGPT which did not exist. 
  
  
  
• Random sports: With the school year ending, a list of national Champions in college for obscure competitions you might not even be aware of it. I liked looking through this way too much. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Mark Cuban last night proved to us once again that he's not that bright. You know, as long as it's a "personal question", people will honestly respond, right? 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• My radio station can finally stop doing segments on the Dallas Stars. Thank gawd.