Random Friday Morning Thoughts

This was a prelude to a 70 month federal sentence for a Decatur woman. 

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• Jacksboro! All nine officers and former Chief of Police Bryan Corb resigned Wednesday. Oh, my!
  
  
  
• Random campaign sign in Jacksboro:
  
  
  
• Death penalty verdicts are getting harder and harder to come by. 
  
  
  
  
• "Known for his compelling, if somewhat bluster-filled argument to juries, [Prosecutor Dale] Smith has a penchant for walking up to seated defendants during his closings and pointing at them for emphasis as he shouts. Smith’s argument in the Cousins trial was no different." It didn't work this time.  (The link above has a video of it. Paywalled)
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• Nothing drives me more nuts than the claim of "furries" and "litter boxes" in schools.  So, of course, the Texas legislature wants to enact a law to ban this non-existent problem.  But in the committee hearing on the bill this week, the author of it couldn't name one single school where an incident had occurred. Video.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Wait a second! That chimney is not a permanent structure? 
  
  
  
• The guy responsible for accidentally adding the journalist to the Signal group text detailing plans to bomb the Houthis was removed from his position as National Security Advisor yesterday. And then, oddly, moved over to be ambassador to the United Nations. But that will require senate confirmation hearings,
  

  

  
  
  
  
• And all of that occurred one day after an AP reporter caught Waltz using Signal during a cabinet meeting.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• New authoritarian move by Trump this morning. It's over. 
  

  

  
  
  
  
• And nothing says Authoritarian more than military parades.
• Part I (released last night)
  
  
  
• Part II (this morning).  This clears the way for even more military parades. Side note: What's he want to do with Veteran's Day which is already on November 11th?
  
  
  
• Trump gave the commencement speech at the University Alabama last night and just regurgitated his standard campaign speech.  But this moment was my favorite. Video.
  
  
  
• A Texas federal judge, appointed by Trump, struck down Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to summarily snatch up and deport "suspected" Venezuelan gang members. Now we just have to wait for Trump to ignore the ruling. 
  
  
  
• Let's check in on Fox News.
  
  
  
• Story. I've always thought it weird that Dallas County Judge has a law practice. 
  

  

  
  
  
  
• The Wise County judge, on the other hand, just dabbles in wholesome country music. He has released a new single today.
  
  
  
• Lauren Whitener Clock: 5 years and 304 days.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

A washed up Josh Hamilton is traded from the Angels back to the Rangers with $74 million still left on his contract. Astonishingly, the Angels agree to pay $68 million of it with the Rangers only be responsible for $6 million.

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• Lake Bridgeport is two foot above "full", and the flood gates are fully open (photo). That's a good thing, because the incoming Trinity River from Jack County will crest this afternoon at 29 feet. For perspective, the river's flood stage is 20', and it normally runs at just 4'.
  
  
  
• We now have the first ever paid parking lot in Wise County history. It sits in Decatur just west of the post office. And seemingly everyone was surprised to learn that the lot has been privately owed all these years. . 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Is it just me, or does the Messenger story about the death of Roy Cooper seem to carefully interject the word "investigation" into it quite a few times?
  
  
  
• After three people were found dead in a remote area of Parker County,  the Sheriff's Office arrested three people on Monday for capital murder (which carries the death penalty). Then they realized they shouldn't have arrested one of them.  That's a bad way to start off a case.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Denton County has reported its first measles case.
  
  
  
• I'm not sure that was a "fall" in that it looked more like "launch." Video.
  

  

  
  
  
  
• Trump had a cabinet meeting yesterday: 
• Elon Musk made his final (?) appearance at the table -- and literally wore two caps.
  
  
  
  
• Also at the cabinet meeting, Trump weighed in how tariffs might impact Christmas spending. Video.
  
  
  
• The rest of the cabinet meeting was straight out of North Korea:
  
  
  
• "A Reuters drone on Monday (April 28) captured detainees at the Bluebonnet immigrant detention center in Anson, Texas, spelling out a message to the outside world: S-O-S."
  
  
  
• If you want to watch some Republican on Republican crime, watch this clip (or the whole thing) when Brian Harrison appeared before a committee chaired by Jeff Leach. Man, they hate each other.
  

  

  
  
  
  
• Legal stuff: The Texas House modified the Senate's version of the "Ban all Weed Including Hemp" bill yesterday evening by keeping Delta-9 with THC less than .3% in its "natural flower" form. Maybe the whole bill is in trouble. (The revised bill is here, and I think the relevant part is at the bottom of page 57.)
  
  
  
• Messenger - Above the Fold

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

Bud Light had to abruptly end this ad campaign. 

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• Edit: Rodeo legend Roy Cooper dies in Decatur home fire. 
• We now have a Virginia super PAC is trying to influence the Decatur School Board election (along with a select other elections in Texas.)
  
  
  
• Stopping on a Dime: A truck full of dimes reeked havoc in Alvord yesterday. The news is going national this morning.  Fun fact: ChatGPT tells me that 8 million dimes would weigh 39,996 pounds and take up space equivalent to six refrigerators. 
  
  
  
  

  

  

  
  
  
  
• Southlake sure has it's share of crime and its always on the main thoroughfare. "The victim told police he had arranged to meet with the suspect to sell an item, police said. During the transaction, the suspect drew a handgun and the victim fled into the jewelry store to call police."  This was at 11:00 in the morning.
  
  
  
• In true capitalistic fashion, the Trump picked up the phone and called Jeff Bezos yesterday to stop Amazon from revealing how much hia tariffs will cost you each purchase. It worked. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Trump's idea for the tariffs has always been to "bring manufacturing back to America."  The Commerce Secretary said yesterday this will be great because you and your grandkids can work in the same factory for life.  (Notice he says "you" and "your" not "our." ) Video.
  
• A new tool has gone into effect to round up undocumented immigrants. "In February, Department of Homeland Security officials announced they would create a registry for people who were in the U.S. illegally."
  
  
  
• Trump vs. The Supreme Court: In an interview yesterday with Terry Moran, Trump stunningly admitted that he could bring Abrego Garcia back from the El Salvadorian prison.  Up until that moment, the Administration had said it was helpless and couldn't do anything to "facilitate" his return as the Supreme Court has ordered. Video.
  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  
• Meanwhile, at a 100 Day Rally in Michigan: 
  
  
  
• Good lord.  The fall of the free press is just another sign that It's Over. Gift link. 
  
  
  
• This is out of Rusk County, and I don't think I had ever seen this story before. It all began with a traffic stop for running a stop sign. Full unedited video here.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• More Islamophobia in the Texas House. This makes absolutely no sense from Jeff Leach as he complains about a planned community which is Muslim friendly: 
  
  
  
• Yesterday evening the Texas House passed, by a vote of 125-20, a bill banning anyone under 18 from using any social media.   I think that's stunning. That's not conservative -- that's "big government."  (Not to mention that would be impossible to enforce.) Wise County's Andy Hopper was one of the few to vote against it. I have no idea if the bill will actually pass the Senate. 
  
  
  
• Trump just responded to the stock market falling.: 
  
  
  
• Breaking economic news:  "GDP growth slows to -0.3%, marking the first negative growth since Q1 2022."