- Texas hospitalizations: -306. I'm still inclined to think that we've peaked.
- RTG Update: I received an avalanche of unsolicited (but appreciated) emails/messages regarding the possibility of retiring the Random Thought Girl. The verdict was overwhelming -- it was a good bit, they said, but it's a bit which is way past its prime. I thought it would be more of a 50/50 split. So I'll be in the laboratory this weekend consulting with my Updated Bits Department as they pitch replacement ideas at me.
- A man escaped from a Wise County Sheriff's Office deputy yesterday but was later located at, of all places, Jack in the Box. I see a trend from south Texas in this morning's news:
- I just realized that the election for the open seat in the Texas legislature involving David Spiller out of Jacksboro is tomorrow. (He also has gone big time because I heard a radio commercial for him this morning on the very right wing 660 The Answer -- probably a pretty good idea for that electorate.)
- I had to go in front of new Judge Lowery for the first time yesterday to finalize a negotiated plea of guilty, and I got to provide my client with this great advice before we walked in the door: "I know he'll approve it but, other than that, I have no idea what is about to happen. But I'll be right there with you." (Judge Lowery continued on in the tradition of the late Judge Cude's practices with a slight twist. Importantly, even the person charged with a misdemeanor crime felt respected. Thumbs up.)
- The Little Ball of Terror from Frisco who was involved in the Storming of the Capitol needs to stay off Twitter:
- She tried to grift off people for "legal fees" yesterday, but Paypal kicked her off. She deleted the second tweet below where she admitted she didn't need the money but was just doing the prosperity gospel trick.
- What's worse, she admitted to being a full blown QAnon nutcase.
- And look at her past. She believes that Bill Gates and 5G towers were behind the Coronavirus. And, of course, she had to invoke Jesus at the same time. Flashback:
- What is up with these people who fall into QAnon conspiracy theories and think that Jesus is on their side? It goes right back to last Friday's post about "Pastor" Branden Burden of Kingdom Life. (Speaking of, he has gone silent after his QAnon sermon, but The Dallas Morning News had an update a couple of days ago. I tried to live stream his sermon last Sunday morning but they took down the feed.)
- This site is keeping track of North Texans involved, one way or another, in the Storming of the Capitol.
- This might be my favorite profile of those arrested so far. Be careful ladies. He knows how you think.
- The newest QAnon member of Congress "filed" Articles of Impeachment against President Biden yesterday. She also believes 9/11 was an inside job, and that Sandy Hook was staged. Really.
- "AUSTIN, Texas (KLTV) - Gov. Abbott today held a roundtable discussion in Austin with law enforcement and public safety advocates to discuss the governor’s legislative priorities to ensure a safer future for the state." Just to be clear, "roundtable discussion" = "photo op."
- Others thought about Watchmen, too. (Side note: I really hate making cultural references like that because I suspect less than 5% of you have seen it.)
- Let's check in on Hannity since conservatives have now abandoned Fox News. This guy seems credible:
- Someone posted this yesterday. I routinely think that the cheapest gas will be on the far end of the similarly colored buttons. I need to check before I quickly push one next time.
- A reference I heard this morning that only the elders in the audience will remember and someone who I had not thought about in years: The Galloping Gourmet. He turns 87 today. (More relevant, the great Steve Perry of Journey turns 72.)
- Heard on the radio that new job applicants are routinely asked for the Twitter and Facebook addresses. I expected they might look a person up, but I naively hadn't thought about prospective employers just coming out and asking you for the address before they do so.
- 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: 567 days
- Messenger: Above the Fold
- Good news?/Bad news?: I'm giving serious consideration to retiring the daily Random Thought Girl. I don't know how long I've been doing that bit, but it might be over a decade. And it started out as simply that -- a bit. You know, a "they'll come for the girl and might stick around to read" kind of thing. Well, the readers came and they've stuck around. But times have changed in the last 10 years. Sensibilities have changed. My sensibilities have changed. I've found myself growing increasingly uncomfortable with it. And with yesterday's events, it felt, at least for the moment, like it was a new day. And maybe it should be a new day for Liberally Lean. This might have been the tipping point last Friday:
- Texas hospitalizations: -58. I'm cautiously optimistic that we may have reached the apex. This last week has been flat. That's not to minimize the current state of affairs -- the virus is as bad as it has ever been.
- Yesterday was just so normal.
- Michelle Obama looked like some kind of super hero out of Marvel Comics or a character from Watchmen.
- That dress and golden microphone might end up in Smithsonian National Museum of American History. I'm serious. That's exactly the kind of stuff that is on display there.
- I honestly didn't know much about this gal, but that was a top notch performance last night.
- I know this gal, and I like her.
- The masks aren't necessary between a husband and wife, but it is setting an example. Messaging is important. The last time we saw someone on that balcony -- a person who had just been diagnosed with COVID no less -- took off his mask and turned around and walked in among his staff.
- I'd like to talk to the person in charge of lighting.
- Can we please do something with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton? Like the prison he's been avoiding for years? Good lord, man, President Biden hadn't even finished saying the oath yet before this came out.
- It now has to be mentioned in an Inauguration Address in 2021: "And now a rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat.” He's right.
- The emergency that never was is over.
- And, if not, "Trial by combat!"
- "Let's do this again tomorrow!" -- new White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki yesterday.
- Heck of a wardrobe change on the way to Florida yesterday.
- Kind of funny.
- Shout-out to Germania Insurance for the way they handled a run of the mill property claim. No hassle. No fight. Prompt response. Courteous adjuster. It doesn't have to be hard, does it?
- Something you might have missed:
- What happened here? Ed Young is the pastor of megachurch Fellowship Church Grapevine.
- I can't believe Trump went so quietly into the night (over the last week.) That Storming of the Capitol, once he figured out how awful it was, must have really rocked him. Or, more likely, he was rocked by his approval ratings dropping to record lows in the days that followed. That's something he cares about above all else. And in the end, it was all he cared about.
- That's a special Random Thought Girl. (And, yes, for those who are unaware, that's the First Lady -- for 3.5 more hours.)
- Texas hospitalizations: +70.
- Last night: Normalcy is at the gate.
- 6:35 CST. Good morning.
- 6:58 CST:
- 7:14 CST:
- 7:15 CST:
- 7:18 CST:
- A few remarks at Andrews Air Force base (where he mentioned "Space Force" and then walked to Air Force One with "Macho Man" playing -- really.) He ended it with "Have a good life. We will see you soon."
- Junior looking on:
- 7:47 CST (I highly suggest watching this clip from CNN as the plane took off with the loudspeakers blaring "I Did It My Way." It's gold.)
- One last split screen:
- It's over.
- Yesterday, the Republicans continued to turn on Trump with Mitch McConnell taking the lead on the Senate floor: "This mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the President and other powerful people. And they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government which they did not like."
- That made Sean mad.
- Remember on Monday when I posed the hypothetical about a third party led by Trump and how that could throw Wise County local elections into chaos? The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday he even has a name for it: The Patriot Party.
- This was the most notable pardon late last night. A pardon for the man who defrauded Trump's most loyal followers.
- No pardon for Joe Exotic. None for Ken Paxton.
- In the middle of the night:
- This poor guy has not cut his hair since Trump took office, and he has posted a photo every day. This was yesterday:
- FiveThirtyEight.com will no longer be updating this composite poll of Trump's disapproval (top) and approval (bottom) ratings.
- At least one Wise County resident who attended the Trump "rally" in D.C. on January 6th and posted his picture while there has now completed deleted his Facebook account.
- Messenger: Above the Fold
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