Sunday, October 31, 2021
Friday, October 29, 2021
The Weekend Spine-Chilling Wrangle
When you’ve had a rough year but you’re trying hard to enjoy Halloween. pic.twitter.com/JzqBCDaedx
— Saffron Ann (@GeekEnby) October 26, 2021
There are two separate elections happening in San Antonio right now, and some voters may have to visit the polls twice. | @Joeycules https://t.co/AsTxBMJaVz
— Texas Public Radio (@TPRNews) October 27, 2021
Early voting concludes Friday for the November 2 constitutional amendment, general, and special elections. Through Wednesday, 455K Texans have voted early in-person or by mail statewide, representing 2.7% of registered voters.
In HD-118, just over 5K people have voted in person in the special runoff election, representing 5.2% of registered voters. Early turnout in the district is on pace to double that of the September 28 special election.
Now y'all get out there and keep not voting.
If you tell the “Democratic” party that you will vote for it no matter what then don’t act surprised when the party takes your vote for granted and does less than the bare minimum with its majority during a moment of historic inequality.
— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) October 25, 2021
"The inaction by corporate Democrats in the U.S. Senate encourages this behavior." https://t.co/bVVcFFMHXb
— Common Dreams (@commondreams) October 26, 2021
Then again, it's scary season. So if fear works on you, pay attention.
The new political maps drawn by the Texas Senate don't just favor Republicans, @rossramsey writes.
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) October 27, 2021
The maps help Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pick which Republicans he wants in the Senate. https://t.co/65Cy3SYnmZ
Judge Jerry Smith was part of the 3-judge panel for litigation over the Texas House and Congressional maps (Perez v. Perry & Perez v. Abbott) from the last #redistricting cycle. #txlege https://t.co/SOrZwl6gAm
— RA News (@RANewsTX) October 25, 2021
Newly uncovered emails capture the ridicule and disbelief of top lawyers at the Florida attorney general’s office as Texas AG Ken Paxton sued in December to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election. https://t.co/crhvuLf5VU
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) October 28, 2021
Ted Cruz just casually defending Nazis in a congressional hearing π€¦π½♀️ https://t.co/MaAVIcnIhC
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 27, 2021
Why didn’t @GregAbbott_TX just pick Sidney Powell or her pet Kraken to be Texas Secretary of State? New column: https://t.co/9Nr2x2Awto via @houstonchron #txlege
— EricaGrieder (@EricaGrieder) October 27, 2021
10/24/2021- Texas #ReproductiveRights #Democracy #VotingRights #VaccineMandate #MaskMandates #CriticalRaceTheory #Texas https://t.co/ohtnxwNnvr pic.twitter.com/WFGbsV8U3y
— Clay Bennett (@BennettCartoons) October 23, 2021
How about anger? Will some righteous outrage spur turnout?
.@ArmyTimes: The TX National Guard is activating "thousands" more troops for @GovAbbott's border initiative, while slashing tuition benefits due to state-required $ cuts.
— Jasper Scherer (@jaspscherer) October 26, 2021
Soldier who pulled out of fall courses after being activated: "Fuck this." https://t.co/WaMIQIY6pV #txlege pic.twitter.com/hoE8Dw8tTO
U.S. Border Patrol officials belonged to a private Facebook group that contained racist and other offensive posts. But even though 60 employees were found to have violated the agency’s code of conduct, only two lost their job, a House report found. https://t.co/FPSo5hFLyM
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 25, 2021
At least a quarter of Texas’ gas, coal and other thermal plants dropped offline this week. Texas is facing electricity shortages because gas plants aren't showing up — again. #txlege #txenergy https://t.co/e30x1C7JwZ
— TXEnergyBiz (@TxEnergyBiz) October 25, 2021
Texas energy expert: “I do not have confidence we are ready for this winter”
— KarinaKling (@KarinaKling) October 26, 2021
“Obviously that was a wild storm and hopefully we won’t have another storm like that. But hope is not a strategy. We need to harden our system,” @douglewinenergy said. #txlege https://t.co/TNggrD9cUE
"Road expansion projects have failed to deliver the promised benefits. In fact, the evidence shows that they actually make traffic and pollution worse." #TrueStateofTxDOT https://t.co/9u5czkGGox
— One Breath Partnership (@OneBreathHOU) October 21, 2021
In an Oct. 25 letter, @RepMattKrause, a Republican state lawmaker and candidate for state attorney general, asked schools to confirm whether the book titles are on shelves at public school libraries or classrooms.https://t.co/ct7nvxxgOh
— Chron (@chron) October 27, 2021
From the @StarTelegram Editorial Board: The Southlake school Holocaust incident shows what a mess Texas made with the critical race theory law #txlege https://t.co/yfHofJjtCg
— Bud Kennedy / #ReadLocal (@BudKennedy) October 23, 2021
It seems to work for the Right.
How prepared are Texans to give up oil and beef to slow the #climatecrisis? Not at all, based on today's email. Here's the column that is setting off my Stetson-wearing friends. https://t.co/zRWA82DQLB @HoustonChron #txlege
— ChrisTomlinson (@cltomlinson) October 25, 2021
I try to keep it light in order to maintain my sanity. That doesn't do anything to GOTV, but I've decided that's not really my job any longer.
Texas School Censors All Of ‘Huck Finn’ Except The N-Words https://t.co/euXZsi7z25 pic.twitter.com/qRWoknjt6H
— The Onion (@TheOnion) October 28, 2021
The Book Burning
— RA News (@RANewsTX) October 28, 2021
by @Nick_Anderson_
To see more cartoons: https://t.co/J0Pb5tD3yU#CriticalRaceTheory #bookbanning #CancelCulture pic.twitter.com/F1ZgjvQHnv
Patrick Chappatte, The New York Times @PatChappatte pic.twitter.com/vneKP9di0O
— Editorial & Political Cartoons (@EandPCartoons) October 27, 2021
And advancing some action items beyond voting, because the system is quite obviously dysfunctional, and voting for Coke or Pepsi isn't going to fix it.
“Demand that Texas owners invest in your rights and protect your investments. Texas is not safe for you, your spouse, or your children. Until the legislation is overturned, Texas isn’t safe for anyone." https://t.co/0TURInb8N2
— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) October 28, 2021
For months I have been told by news outlets to wait until @RepLloydDoggett decided what he wanted to do.
— Claudia Zapata for TX35 (@PoderConClaudia) October 27, 2021
Then @GregCasar, @EddieforTexas, and @TMFtx jumped in, and I guess they are more headline worthy than a queer, working class Latina. https://t.co/KdU6IMB5Bb
It's a shame that people have to keep learning the same lesson over and over again.
More climate and criminal social justice news in the Wrangle on Monday. It's a great weekend for baseball and trick-or-treating and Dia de Los Muertos and lots of other things.
KUTX is once again proud to support the #AltercationComedyFestival, feat. over 80 national comedians including, @thebrianposehn @eddiepepitone @samlymatters @MoAlexander & more starting Tues. 10/27-30 at @KickButtCoffee
— KUTX 98.9 (@KUTX) October 25, 2021
https://t.co/WdIgnaJtH5 pic.twitter.com/3sCLVXtot9
NEW: Travis Scott unveils #Astroworld 2021 lineup featuring 21 Savage, Lil Baby, SZA, and more. π‘
— Complex (@Complex) October 26, 2021
Look: https://t.co/4E1XLZMw4U pic.twitter.com/449LH7r3fk
Jorge Silvera saw this photo taken during the filming of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" on Tumblr and shared it. I saw this movie at a drive-in in Temple. I was 13 years old and, as I sat petrified on our car, somebody started a chain saw on the back row. I jumped out of my skin! pic.twitter.com/Yllm7CMyyo
— Traces of Texas (@TracesofTexas) October 25, 2021
Monday, October 25, 2021
The Monday Morning Wrangle from Far Left Texas
Wherein we attempt to explain why rodeo raffles, church services, and homestead tax exemptions for a handful of folks are on the ballot this fall. https://t.co/KhZrH9cd8O
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) October 23, 2021
Dan Solomon's excuses are as good as any for me to skip this fall's elections in favor of more trivial pursuits. And since I don't have children or grandchildren, the Houston school board races are a non-starter for me. YMMV, of course.
Elsewhere, frying bigger fish:
The Texas abortion ban will remain in effect as SCOTUS prepares to hear challenges on Nov. 1, and will continue to force Texans to travel out of state to get care. Justice Sotomayor makes it clear: “the impact is catastrophic.” https://t.co/JPZqQFCDty
— All* Above All (@AllAboveAll) October 22, 2021
We're left to our own devices as to why the other so-called liberals, Kagan and Breyer, declined to join Sotomayor in dissenting. That's enough to project a more ominous fate for Roe once the Supremes collectively pass judgment.
There were some reactions to Governor Strangelove's latest chat with Breitbart, which happened at the 50-yard line of Darrell K. Royal Stadium.
The burnt orange backdrop for the Republican leader's interview with an alt-right news outlet puzzled and upset some University of Texas alumni.
— Ariana Garcia π΅π· (@Ariana_noGrande) October 21, 2021
My latest:https://t.co/30lZp74rgd
Exploiting UT by @Nick_Anderson_ for @RANewsTX #UT #Longhorns #GregAbbott @ProjectLincoln @SteveSchmidtSES @TheRickWilson pic.twitter.com/9ocMHsC3nE
— RA News (@RANewsTX) October 24, 2021
.@GregAbbott_TX leaned on @UTAustin to pull our spot last month. Now, he uses Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium for a @BreitbartNews interview. How does that work, @JChartzell?@statesman @TexasTribune @gromerjeffers @EricaGrieder #txlege https://t.co/aCS5C9l24l
— Reed Galen (@reedgalen) October 22, 2021
And to think that all this time I thought it was the Aggies who were the conservative darlings of higher education in Texas. Silly me.
Alas, on the state's corruption scale, this barely registers.
Some sharp observers note that two thirds of senators would not confirm such a controversial pick, but @GregAbbott_TX doesn't have to worry about that as long as the Texas Senate is not in session #TxLege https://t.co/2uIlxTozJf
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) October 21, 2021
Until yesterday, Abbott's new secretary of state was a registered lobbyist for Medicaid managed-care firms, a big renewable energy developer (gasp!), & Griddy, the electricity retailer that recently reached settlement w/ Texas AG for exorbitant bills during winter storm. #txlege pic.twitter.com/KL8hHjiRF9
— Justin Miller (@by_jmiller) October 21, 2021
$139,679,397 dropped into Texas state level politics by 25 individuals from January 2015 to June 2021.
— Christopher Tackett (@cjtackett) October 24, 2021
Who are they and who did they give to?
Is there really a “both sides” to the money? (Hint: Nope)
All the details are hereπhttps://t.co/0D8X8DOHZm
Interviewed an out-of-state campaign finance expert who was *floored* Texas does not require politicians to list the occupations of their donors. "It defeats the whole purpose of disclosure! There's no accountability!" I was like lol welcome to Texas bud.
— Zach Despart (@zachdespart) October 22, 2021
Walmart donated to Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick after they restricted abortion and voting, raising questions about corporate responsibility for rightwing politics. My latest: https://t.co/Kajg6iDkWS @HoustonChron #txlege
— ChrisTomlinson (@cltomlinson) October 22, 2021
Good look here at how we do bidness in #Texas. Notable that a representative of Energy Transfer, which made a stunning $2.4B in profits off the snowpocalypse, was tapped to help TX respond to the next storm. #txlege https://t.co/HPvuaazGj6
— Jay Root (@byjayroot) October 21, 2021
Still anxiously anticipating a long break from having to report this shit.
Rep. James White, a Republican running for agriculture commissioner, has asked AG Ken Paxton whether private citizens in Texas need to recognize gay marriages.
— Lauren Mc-Ghoul-hy π» (@lmcgaughy) October 22, 2021
Legislators here never removed a state law from the books defining marriage as between a man and a woman. #txlege pic.twitter.com/hTr8bsHrIS
Last month, I heard about a TX woman with an ectopic pregnancy who was turned away by her doctor, then her ER. Ectopics must be terminated immediately or the patient can die.
— Caroline Kitchener (@CAKitchener) October 23, 2021
She drove 12+ hours to New Mexico.
I wanted to understand how that happened π§΅https://t.co/poOykCNPxK
Dan Patrick, Texas' lieutenant governor, supported a vaccine mandate for college students as a state legislator in 2009. https://t.co/IjMxKiPwzS
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) October 22, 2021
Texas rent relief is helping... landlords.
— Zach Despart (@zachdespart) October 21, 2021
Sometimes they take the money and evict tenants anyway, and there's nothing preventing them from doing so.
Great story here from @RASchuetz ⬇️https://t.co/QMfhr7XNLL
I'll take that as my segue to the criminal and social justice updates.
The Texas Third Court of Appeals ruled in favor of former employees of the Office of the Attorney General, who were fired after blowing the whistle on Attorney General Ken Paxton for alleged corruption. https://t.co/yQOjt7NX6p
— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) October 21, 2021
Ken Paxton's beefed-up 2020 voter fraud unit closed 16 minor cases, all in Harris County https://t.co/Vpnt19EIRD #txlege #votingrights
— Teddy Wilson (@reportbywilson) October 24, 2021
The Harris County DA spent 7 months trying to prosecute a woman - on a felony assault charge - for throwing bananas at a security guard. pic.twitter.com/Yo5UGKHMlr
— Keri Blakinger (@keribla) October 21, 2021
Texas Hemp Retailers Scramble After State Says Delta-8 THC Is An Illegal Drug https://t.co/gNfVEz5WHp #MME #Hemp #Texas pic.twitter.com/1r3jXMgGmF
— MME (@THEMMEXCHANGE) October 24, 2021
The #ACLU of Texas has filed a lawsuit claiming the school district's gender-based hair policy "imposed immense and irreparable harm" on students. #hounews @TexasTribune
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) October 21, 2021
This is a story @JMilesKHOU is following for #KHOU11 News. https://t.co/8yXb1977os
A Lefty Gamer has been relentless in Tweeting about the MAGAts running the Magnolia ISD.
Literal Nazis came into Austin today, and I guess APD stopped by to show them love and respect? pic.twitter.com/7VDy1XNTEs
— Christine (@ChristineTX34) October 24, 2021
We're here to talk about the #TrueStateOfTxDOT but they didn't want to hear it. @StopTxDOTi45. pic.twitter.com/7DrjqMQiqj
— Air Alliance Houston (@airallianceHOU) October 21, 2021
That gets me to the environmental headlines.
The vapor recovery system at this site is routed to the flare which I have documented malfunctioning since November 2020. One of many vapor recovery failures documented lately.
— Methane Hunter (@TXsharon) October 23, 2021
The only way to contain methane gas is to #KeepItInTheGround. Control technologies fail. https://t.co/XLqpvr52OK
https://t.co/QSgVp1SWb6https://t.co/T3vYQsIRqo
— Doug Lewin (@douglewinenergy) October 25, 2021
"Houston could gain up to 400,000 [jobs] if it takes a decisive lead in the energy transition"#txenergy #txlege https://t.co/iQFcGKUrpJ
Decades after the Wichita County town saved its stadium from an oilman's plan to drill at midfield, the structure has been condemned—after pipes once donated by oil companies rusted out. https://t.co/LmSWRJ84jS+
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) October 22, 2021
And the soothers. There was MuertosFest in San Antonio over the weekend ...
50 Dedicated Alters this year as we remember our loved ones and visit with them, we honor them with photos, pan dΓΊlce, and their favorite things on the ofrenda. #muertosfest pic.twitter.com/7TtZQUvInB
— Dia de los Muertos (@muertosfest) October 24, 2021
... and another festival just like it this weekend.
Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with great food, shopping and entertainment at Historic Market Square October 30 & 31! pic.twitter.com/gdqJrlgYKc
— City of San Antonio πͺ+π= π― (@COSAGOV) October 23, 2021
Get ready for the return of Travis Scott's Astroworld. @trvisXXhttps://t.co/nsupeKgg5l
— Houston Press (@HoustonPress) October 22, 2021
Remind 'em what time it is, Sister Mary Catherine Do.#RallyNuns pic.twitter.com/qUCnStNu0Y
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 23, 2021
How Dusty Baker, Brent Strom and MartΓn Maldonado Seized the ALCS From the Red Sox https://t.co/ZzAorx17Ok
— Dave Weinberg (@DaveWeinberg19) October 23, 2021
With a 5–0 statement in Game 5 Friday, Houston is returning to the World Series for the third time in five years because over the final 26 innings, it outscored Boston, 22–1. That was after the Red Sox had become the first team in postseason history to run off six straight games with 10 hits or more. A gullywasher became a drought. It ... just ... stopped.
Asked to explain the whiplash-inducing turn to the series, Boston manager Alex Cora said, “Brent Strom and MartΓn Maldonado. Two of the smartest people in baseball. They completely changed their strategy against us midway through Game 4.”
[...]
It was during that game that Strom, the chief navigator of pitching, decided to tack to the starboard side. The change Cora referenced was a decision by Strom to have his pitchers attack the Red Sox with fastballs.
“Yeah, very much so,” Strom said. [...] "I basically told the group, ‘If you’re going to get beat, throw your best stuff over the plate, then you can sleep at night. Rather than dancing around the strike zone.’ Young pitchers start dancing, and you can’t do that.”
Confession: I was among the Debbie Downers lamenting the collapse of the starting pitching, especially after Luis Garcia came up lame.
Garcia lasted only eight batters in Game 2, departing with a sore knee and a 91-mph fastball after getting only three outs. The knee injury forced Strom to study Garcia’s delivery to see if something was causing the pain. The old pitcher whisperer found it and put Garcia on the mound the next day for a bullpen session. He showed Garcia that he was creating stress on his knee by having his right foot (the plant foot by the rubber for the righthander) slightly angled, with the ball of his foot a bit closer to the plate than his heel. That caused his knee to be turned slightly inward as he lifted his front leg in the load phase.
Strom told Garcia to place his right foot directly parallel with the rubber. With a straight plant foot, Garcia would keep his knee (and thus his weight upon leg lift) over the foot.
Voila! Garcia hit 97 mph seven times in the first three innings after throwing one pitch that hard the entire season out of 1,118 four-seamers.
“I was surprised,” Strom said. “The funny thing about it, outside of that injury, if he had not hurt his knee, we might not have made that tweak. So, the tweak was made not to increase velocity but to take stress off his knee. We did it the very next day after he threw one inning and he seemed to like it. And quite frankly we probably should have done it sooner, but he was having a good year and you hate to mess with somebody who’s having a good year. It’s the dicey thing about messing with a good thing. The injury probably helped him.”
Then there was this, the backbreaker for the Sox.
STRIKE'EM OUT!
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 23, 2021
THROW'EM OUT!#FORTHEH
(via @MLBONFOX) pic.twitter.com/IzbeCDl4zd