11.08.2023

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts





The Art Briles reign at Baylor unofficially began after a Thursday night game against OU on national TV which saw the Bears go to 8-0. 

  • Incredible: Every Decatur ISD bond proposal failed. And it was the same result in Bridgeport as its bond proposal went down as well. Decatur ISD Superintendent put it bluntly: "[I]f you won’t vote to fund a no tax rate raise bond, how will we keep up with future growth and overcrowding needs in Decatur ISD? I’m sad for Decatur ISD students and staff.” 
    • 2,592 people voted in Decatur. 
    • 1,866 people voted in Bridgeport.
  • All Texas constitutional amendments passed except the one raising the mandatory retirement age for judges. It failed 63% to 37%.  I wrote the other day that I wasn't sure about that one because voters hate lawyers and this amendment was perceived of doing something favorable for lawyers.

  • Back to bond elections, at least I understand Prosper voting down a $94 million stadium. 

  • Nationally, the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade continues to haunt Republicans. 
    • Ohio voted to change its state constitution to incorporate Roe.  Since Roe was overturned, seven states have now had state wide votes on abortion, and the pro-choice law has passed every single time -- even in red states.

    • In Virginia, it was a Democrat sweep as they flipped the Senate and Republicans lost their hold in the House. Their anti-choice governor, Glenn Youngkin, had campaigned hard for the Republicans vowing to change abortion laws once the Republicans got control of both houses. 

    • In red Kentucky, a Democrat won the governorship.


  • Ohio became the 24th state to legalize weed.  In Texas, you will still be put in a cage for having a personal use amount in your pocket. Or in your car. Or in your home. 

     
  • The city council candidate for Granbury who just got arrested for child porn came within 17 votes of making it to the run-off. 


  • Ken Paxton's lead impeachment defense lawyer, Tony Buzbee, ran for the city council in Houston, but got beat. However, the winner is about 200 votes short of hitting the 50% mark so Buzbee might/should make it to the runoff race. This is with 694 of 701 precincts reporting:



  • Speaking of impeachment, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick complimented Rep. David Spiller yesterday. Since Spiller was a House Manager for the impeachment team, I'm surprised by that. Patrick has railed against the impeachment proceedings ever since the acquittal.

  • State Sen. Drew Springer wont' seek re-election. He once represented Wise County before redistricting and attended an election-denier rally for Trump on our courthouse steps after Trump lost the 2020 election (but it was before, at least, the January 6th Insurrection.)

  • Non-election news: West Texas had a 5.3 earthquake at 4:30 a.m. Hey, I mentioned Texas earthquakes yesterday!



at 8:28 AM

11.07.2023

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts




"Fire engulfed Neel Hall men’s dormitory at Decatur Baptist College on February 22, 1912."

I posted a blurb about this 10 years ago this week. I didn't remember it earlier this year when the Wise County Heritage Museum, which used to be the home of the administration building of the Decatur Baptist College, also burned down. So there have been two big fires at that location.

  • For the last several election cycles, it has almost been impossible for any Wise County school to pass a bond package. Two attempts will be made today: Decatur ISD will try a $68 million package while Bridgeport ISD goes with a $55 million bond. Both will be broken up into three parts to at least try to get at least something, if not all, passed. 
  • This trial about the hospital shooting in Dallas last year is about as close to a guaranteed conviction as you will ever see. And despite the defendant's violent history, the Dallas County D.A. is not seeking the death penalty.  That's a little surprising even for Dallas. 

  • Trump took the stand yesterday. It went about as well as you would expect. 

    • This lawyer, like all his past lawyers, is as dumb as a box of rocks. She took offense because she got yelled at in court as a defense lawyer? This her first time in court?


  • We might have a wild election story coming out of Granbury.  A city council candidate got arrested on child porn one day before the election, But we have to consider that most votes, due to early voting, have already been cast. There's a chance he will win today. 


    • I loved their backtracking yesterday of the Republican Party of Hood County. It's the equivalent "even we can support that."

  • I feel bad that I got distracted by the "8."

  • We are looking at a fourth special session in Austin: Just how exactly do those legislators afford to be away from their regular jobs so much? 

  • In women's basketball news, things didn't go well for defending national champion LSU last night in Las Vegas.

     

  • NFL fun fact: All are current or former Cowboys.

  • The University of Michigan is in the middle of a cheating scandal, but I had forgotten that its athletic director is on the playoff selection committee. That's awkward. Michigan is currently #3. But the AD is skipping today's vote. 

  • The Supreme Court hears oral arguments today as it reviews a lower court ruling that the 2nd Amendment makes unconstitutional a federal law making gun possession by a person who is under a domestic violence protective order a crime. Fun fact: The man the case is about is from Arlington, and is not a good dude. 

at 8:31 AM

11.06.2023

Random Monday Morning Thoughts




Remember when there were small earthquakes happening all the time around North Texas? They ended about the time that fracking stopped.

  • As Israel continues to haphazardly bomb Gaza, the U.S. is scrambling to try to keep the area from spiraling out of control. In Gaza, 9,700 have died so far. "Israel dropped almost as many bombs in Gaza in one week as the U.S. did in Afghanistan in one year -- the heaviest year." And Gaza is a fraction of the size of Afghanistan.

    • Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority
    in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday.
    Credit...

    • But back home, the morons continue to act like morons. What's next? Concentration camps? Who else you want to round up? The Japanese for old times' sake? It should could at no surprise that early co-sponsors include Wise County's representative Ronny Jackson. Oh, and the Jewish Space Laser Congresswoman has also signed on. (The bill has no chance of passing.)

  • I'm surprised this was the only incident that happened at the Rangers parade. The man fired up into the air after a parking spot dispute. 




  • He killed the immigration bill of David Spiller (R-Jacksboro) and then this was announced on Saturday. 

    • Uh . . . . late last week he was with Trump. 

  • I don't believe there’s ever been a moment in U.S. history when the frontrunner for the presidency was openly promising a vengeful autocracy.


    • And he's make no secret about it. (Gifted link.) I'm beginning to believe almost half of Americans just want to blow it all up. 

  • From the very start, this has been something very, very weird about this case. I don't think we have all the facts at all.
  • We are all suckers. Exxon just reported a net income for the last three months of $19.6 billion (that's $19,600,000,000.00)
  • Warehouse sales: They just keep coming. And you've probably seen these two: "Both industrial buildings are in the DFW Point35 business park off Harmon Road near Interstate 35W." They are the brand new ones. 

  • It's high school playoff time. By my count, there are a whopping 10 teams which got in with 2-8 records. 
    • Locally, it seems a little unfair that 9-1 Paradise plays 8-2 Vernon. 

at 8:30 AM

11.03.2023

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

at 2:30 PM
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