by Rene Torres
Monday, July 31, 2023
BROWNSVILLE CHRISTIANS POST SELF-RIGHTEOUS MEME ABOUT THOSE HELL-BOUND
A well-known Brownsville political operative shared the above meme on Facebook yesterday.
While I understand the sentiment regarding hypocrisy, I question the premise of Hell, a "place" where supposedly the "wicked" are tormented throughout eternity for their "sins."
That concept seems to contradict the alleged teachings of the historical Jesus about mercy, forgiveness, etc.
Supposedly, in Christian lore, the supervisor of this fiery inferno is none other than Satan the Devil, making him God's chief and most trusted employee, carrying out God's punishment for violating God's rules.
Does that make any sense at all?
As long as we're questioning ridiculous concepts, what about that halfway house, purgatory?
Who came up with that dumbass idea?
What's so ironic is that the preacher pictured above pontificates about what makes a person a Christian, while promoting a concept like Hell that makes Christianity appear vindictive, judgemental, unforgiving, merciless and yes, contrary to what Jesus supposedly taught.
Christians, please tell me why I'm offbase and likely condemned to Hell.
Sunday, July 30, 2023
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON ALIENS, SPACECRAFT CONJURES UP MEMORIES OF ART BELL
Art Bell |
Three military veterans testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability 7/26/23 about "a multi-decade of reverse engineering of recovered vehicles" and spoke of remnants recovered of "non-human biologics."
If you were in the least intrigued, fascinated or even curious about the testimony, I'm here to tell ya, the reports had nothing on the late Art Bell's Coast to Coast AM and his several subsequent late night radio programs on the paranormal.
Some of the stuff reported on Coast to Coast AM would literally make the hair on the back of your neck stand at attention: aliens and their spacecraft, alien abdjuctions, genetic engineering and reported space craft landings at various places in the U.S. and world.
Art, above all else, was a superb listener, always careful to allow his guests to fully narrate their experiences without constant interuption.
Usually spellbound, I found myself listening for hours.
$8,000,000 DESIGNATED TO REPAIR OLD HIGHWAY 77
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A pending 31-million-dollar budget in municipal bond monies will bring Brownsville residents upgrades in infrastructure, technology, building renovations, and much-needed street and road repairs.
Michael Delmore, the chief financial officer for the city, says they will apply half of the bond monies to making improvements to streets.
“$14.5 million, over the next 12 months will go into the infrastructure to reward citizens who have been patiently waiting for their roads to be improved,” Delmore said.
City Manager Helen Ramirez said analyzing data from the city and listening to residents, made their top priority in fixing busy roads. on top of the list is old Highway 77.
“It is a corridor that is really important and actually fronts along many of our hotels. so being able to improve that road with wide roads, sidewalks, and bike lanes, is important to make it a complete street,” Ramirez said
Ramirez said fixing Highway 77 will cost an estimated 8 million, but the city needs approximately 80 million to fix roads.
HUGE SHIPMENT OF METHAMPHETAMINE IN MEZCAL BOTTLES SEIZED AT PORT OF COLIMA, MEXICO
Manzanillo, Colima (OEM-Informex)-In Manznillo 5,400 kilos of methamamphetamne were seized in bottles of artisanal mezcal.
BUC-EE'S ANNOYED BY FAKE MATAMOROS COPYCAT
(ValleyCentral) Brownsville-
Buc-ee’s is prepared to take action against an unofficial store named “Buk-ii’s” in Matamoros.
An off-brand version of the popular store is opening as a “super mercado” in Matamoros. A report stated the store will sell grocery items and international beers.
Saturday, July 29, 2023
STELL MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE TEAM HONORED
RON DESANTIS TOTALLY FLOPS AS TRUMP IMPERSONATOR
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis |
Ron DeSantis just taught me something, or more accurately, retaught me.
Yes, the 44 year old DeSantis reminded this 75 year old codger that a college boy with degrees from Harvard AND Yale can be dumb as a rock.
What other possible explanation could there be for inaugurating a presidential campaign by insinuating that Blacks were somehow benefited by slavery?
Racists of the past, even the KKK's David Duke were more coy with their racism.
Yet, the dumbass had more to say, "doubling down" as political commentators like to say, mentioning that some Black slaves became blacksmiths.
Yes, oh challenged one, they acquired or already possessed skills that would financially benefit their White masters!
What about whips and hanging nooses, 20 hour days in the cotton fields while the master raped your wife?
Were those tangible benefits of slavery too Mr. Dumbass?
If there's any plausible explanation for DeSantis' rank stupidity, it's that he witnessed Donald Trump refer to Mexicans as "rapists" as he walked down the elevator to announce his candidacy for president in 2015.
Then, DeSantis must have had his eyes glued to the TV set as Donald Trump referred to White supremacists as "good people" at Charlottesville.
But, Trump was an anomaly, a departure from the norm. He said stupid stuff whenever opening his mouth, but people liked it somehow, thinking "he's one of us."
MAGA folk truly believed Trump would "drain the swamp" and yes, "make America great again."
They still do.
But, supporters of the former guy don't need an upstart impersonator, especially one "playing a role."
So, DeSantis, the MAGA base you're so intent on capturing has no need for you.
Go back to wrecking Florida Ron!
Friday, July 28, 2023
PRESIDENT WARREN G HARDING VISITS BROWNSVILLE, PORT ISABEL IN 1920 FOR GOLF AND FISHING
by Rene Torres
President Warren G. Harding: In 1920, visited Brownsville and PortIsabel and while here, went fishing and golfing.
President Warren G. Harding came to Texas in 1920, right after the Republican Party’s big triumph in the national elections.
His visit to this region was something he had promised his good friend R.B. Creager, who, at the time, was a high-ranking GOP member from Brownsville.
The GOP won, and a few days later the new president- elect of the United States arrived in Brownsville.
One of the first galas took place at Gulf Coast Lines railroad station, which followed with a parade to Brownsville’s Country Club, where a reception was held.
That evening, President Harding made his way to Fort Brown where he addressed a cheering crowd estimated at 20,000.
Harding was an avid fisherman and the lure of catching that allusive tarpon took him to Port Isabel, where he stayed for several days.
The tarpon on the Texas coast leaped into his glory as the fish of day in the fall of 1920.
It was then that President elect Warren G. Harding paid a visit in search for the thrill of snatchin’ the “Silver King” of the Gulf. While at Port Isabel, he was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Creager, on the bluff overlooking Laguna Madre.
The Brownsville Country Club hosted the president…
He was never advertised as being an ardent golfer. But he, and his entourage, took advantage of a warm November day to play 18 holes of golf at the Brownsville Country Club.
Local high school boys served as caddies.
The president wrote a letter of appreciation for their service and the following are his words:
"To the fine Brownsville Seniors, who volunteered to caddy and keep a watchful eye on wild balls, gratitude and good wishes.
In life’s game of golf, drive hard and straight, approach confidently and putt deliberately.
May you all turn up a fine score over the course of American opportunity…November 12, 1920"
According to his letter, it seems that the boys were chasing the ball all over the course.
The president displayed that his swing was plagued with hooks and slices, making his game a rough affair.
Photo: Harding wearing Mexican straw hand with unknown companion
Photo: Harding addressing thousands at Fort Brown and Harding with R.B. Creager
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA MAYOR WANTS TRUMP TO PAY FOR 2018 APPEARANCE BEFORE GETTING ANOTHER ONE
It's sad, so sad
It's a sad, sad situation
And it's getting more and more absurd
Elton John
Donald J. Trump has a campaign event scheduled July 29 in Erie, Pennsylvania at Erie Insurance Arena.
The problem is that Trump never paid for his last campaign event in Erie in 2018 and Mayor Joe Schember wants that bill paid first before allowing the former guy to run up another tab.
Trump, as many who've paid attention know, is a scammer from way back, notorious for stiffing his vendors when building casinos and not paying as promised when cities allow him to hold events at their venues.
Trump has been quoted that he only pays vendors who "do a good job," or that "I'll pay them, but I'll settle."
This is the last guy America needs in the White House, but roughly 30% of the electorate remain duped, fooled, tricked, brainwashed into thinking somehow Donald Trump is the answer.
TEXAS NOW PUTTING MIGRANT WOMEN IN PRISON
EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) – Facing sex discrimination lawsuits for targeting men under the state’s border security crackdown, Texas has begun putting migrant women in state prisons, too.
Since last week, women arrested under Gov. Greg Abbott’s yearslong Operation Lone Star have been sent to a state prison facility in Edinburg, prison and state police officials confirmed. By Tuesday, 25 women, most accused only of trespassing, were being held at the Lopez State Jail, which typically houses men convicted of low-level crimes.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson Amanda Hernandez said officials had cleared out one building in the facility to house up to 200 females.
It’s been two years since state troopers began arresting migrants en masse in response to record-high levels of Texas-Mexico border crossings. Texas can’t enforce federal immigration laws, but Abbott skirted the restriction by ordering state police to jail people suspected of illegally crossing the border on misdemeanor trespassing charges.
The state cleared out two prisons, which house convicted felons, to instead detain these misdemeanor defendants, not yet convicted of any crime. Soon, thousands of migrants caught on private ranchland or at railyards had been swept into Texas’ new criminal justice system specifically erected for them.
But troopers were instructed to arrest only single men they encountered, turning women and families over to the U.S. Border Patrol. Then the lawsuits came.
Under both the U.S. and Texas constitutions, equal protection laws require governments to treat people alike, regardless of race, national origin or sex.
Last September, a state district judge tossed out trespassing charges against six migrant men in Zapata County, siding with defense attorneys who argued the state was unconstitutionally discriminating against men by not arresting women or children. A flurry of other legal challenges followed, with varying results.
In one case, a judge decided a man’s May 2022 arrest in Maverick County wasn’t discriminatory because the women in his group, who were referred to immigration authorities, could be charged later, even though troopers had not collected any identifying information. An intermediate appeals court overturned that ruling last month, finding the man’s arrest “expressly discriminated on the basis of sex.”
As the legal filings began mounting, the Texas Department of Public Safety changed course, telling troopers in December to begin arresting single, female migrants, a department spokesperson said last week. Troopers are still told not to arrest minors, adults over 65 or families.
Defense lawyers say the change appears to be a direct response to sex discrimination lawsuits.
“Since we started making equal protection challenges, we’ve seen a few token arrests of females here and there,” said Kristin Etter, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid’s lead attorney for Operation Lone Star cases. “But the practice of releasing females to Border Patrol for processing is still widespread.”
As of Saturday, DPS said more than 105 women have been arrested for allegedly trespassing in five border counties. Women accused of more serious crimes, like smuggling, have been arrested under Operation Lone Star since its inception.
The low number of trespassing arrests may in part be because the state had set up booking centers and two prisons to process and hold men accused of immigration-related crimes, while women were being held at local county jails with little space.
“The significant influx of criminal activity along the border regions strained the ability of impacted counties to incarcerate those charged with state offenses,” Hernandez, with TDCJ, said last week.
SOME REPORTS BROWNSVILLE VOTERS SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE VOTING FOR MAYRA FLORES
"A pretty face may last a year or two
But pretty soon they'll see what you can do"
John Lennon
Mayra Flores |
Brownsville voters, please take a look at Mayra Flores before deciding to vote for her to represent the 34th District of the House of Representatives.
It's not about looking at her pretty face or long, curly hair, but her values, her alliances and whether or not she will serve to promote Brownsville's best interests.
First of all, according to one of our alert readers, Flores is currently residing in McAllen, not Brownsville:
"Get your facts straight Jim, Mayra lives at 3308 Cornell St. in McAllen in District 15. She hasn’t lived in Los Indios since before she got married. Mayra is a cotton picking liar."
Now, young Mayra and her Border Patrol husband are free to live wherever they choose, but, is it not true that McAllen and Brownsville are the two major cities of the RGV and frequently in competition for landing large employers, entertainment venues and government facilities.
So, if Mayra is a McAllen resident as our reader reports, where would she lean in terms of support for these new facilities, McAllen or Brownsville?
Mayra's political leanings are also important. Are her views the same as yours? That's important as it is relevant to how she will vote in the House of Representatives?
Does she, for example, view the January 6 insurrection as a threat to our democracy or simply as an event "staged" by the government?
Since Mayra has expressed her support for Donald J. Trump, would she support an attempted impeachment of Joe Biden, something House Republicans are currently contemplating?
Does Mayra doubt the validity of the 2020 election?
Do you?
Since Mayra displayed a QAnon hashtag before removing it, are you aware of what QAnon adherents believe?
Did you know that QAnon has promoted the belief that Donald Trump is waging a secret war against cannibalistic pedophiles from Hollywood and the "deep state" of the U.S. government?
Do you believe those things?
Remember when Trump suggested that ingesting bleach could cure Covid? That was a QAnon concept.
Are you familiar with the crazy antics of Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert? Both are QAnon supporters.
Of course, Brownsville voters will make their own decision on who they want to represent them in the 34th district, but we hope they analyze the viewpoint of Mayra Flores before voting for her.
GLOBAL WARMING~A HOT POLITICAL ISSUE
Trying to stay in character as the "Ugly Texan," I've been annoying Iowans all month with; "if you think this is hot. . . . . . "
But, no more. It's damn hot here in southeastern Iowa, Keosauqua, a town of 946 on the banks of the dangerous Des Moines River.
This very minute, Keosauqua is 95F with 53% humidity, just a degree lower than Brownsville's 96F.
Yuma, Arizona, in a different time zone, is already 109F, on the way to 113F.
Most of north Texas is over 100F.
July 2023 is said to be Planet Earth's hottest month ever.
If you're a Democrat, you likely attribute the higher temps to global warming induced by continuing to burn greenhouse gases thus depleting the Ozone layer.
Republicans, all but 11% of them, don't believe in cockamamie stories like global warming and view the high temps as simply cyclical.
Anyway, President Trump has totally debunked the Global Warming Theory as noted in the comments at the top of this article.
JERRY JONES CONTINUES TO BE A BIG WINNER "OFF THE FIELD"
Jerry Jones |
Jerral Wayne Jones, known as "Jerry Jones," the man who personally inspects every jock strap in the Dallas Cowboys locker room and every pizza baked at Papa John's, is, to put it mildly, a deal maker.
Jerry was raised in North Little Rock, Arkansas, but that's not the whole story.
He's actually from the Rose City neighborhood of North Little Rock, where he and his family ran a small grocery.
To illustrate the economic status of the Rose City neighborhood, when Nena and I were looking to buy our first house in North Little Rock in the early 70's, she told our realtor, Pearl Dean Hooper, to look anywhere, but "Rose City."
Yet, the Rose City boy was a wheeler-dealer from the get-go.
Fresh from graduating from the University of Arkansas, where he played football under Frank Broyles, along with Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer and a dozen other notables, Jerry convinced the Teamsters Union to loan him a million bucks to start up Shakey's Pizza, a company that, for the most part, was a failure.
So, Jerry turned his attention to the oil and gas business, particularly natural gas.
With a friend, Sheffield Nelson, being one of the higher-ups at ArkLa Gas, Jerry was able to purchase the natural gas rights for a large plot of land for $15M.
After Jerry discovered natural gas on that land, he turned around and sold the rights back to ArkLa for $175M, but that money was burning a hole in Jerry's pocket and so he used $140M of it to purchase the Dallas Cowboys.
Still making and signing deals, Jerry traded 52.5 producing oil wells in 2018 for 88.57M shares in Comstack, an investment of $398M. Those shares are currently worth $1.68B.
Oh, if you're the least bit curious about Jerry's political leanings, he sent much-maligned Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas a Super Bowl ring.
So, as you trained lawyers might say, in summation, Mr. Deal Maker, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, is doing OK, at least "off the field."
"HEY, HOW 'BOUT WE IMPEACH JOE BIDEN?"
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy |
House Republicans, "led" by the wobbly Speaker Kevin McCarthy, are in search of someone to impeach.
The plan is retaliation, plain and simple, for the fact that "they," the Democrats impeached our "Fearless Leader," no, not Kim Jong Un, but the other one.
The first proposed G.O.P. target to get the Big "I" was Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Then, the target became Attorney General Merrick Garland.
"But, hey!" said a Republican voice from somewhere.
"Let's not fool around with underlings. Let's go after the Big Kahuna. Let's impeach Joe Biden himself!"
Brainiacs like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are screaming for it!
So, now that's the plan, impeaching Biden for bad presidenting or the non-taxpaying, drug-addicted son he raised or some mysterious criminality not yet revealed.
Anyway, that's the plan.
Now, it's up to the Speaker to lead this through the House of Representatives.
The fact that Joe Biden's impeachment will never get past the Senate is not important right now.
Republicans aren't looking that far ahead.
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
JANUARY 6 WILL BE TRUMP'S LEGACY SEEN THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE PENCE GALLOWS
Trump's legacy is secure.
It will be seen through the prism of the gallows prepared for Vice-President Mike Pence.
Make no mistake. Trump started an insurrection although he was too chickenshit to join the fray as he'd promised.
History will firmly record Donald J. Trump as someone who tried to destroy our democracy to stay in office.
We don't whitewash our history as the Florida governor suggests we do. America is not Nazi Germany and Americans do not embrace fascism.
Just as the history books detail the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK, they will preserve the record of the insurrection by Donald Trump.
Lee Harvey Oswald, Sirhan Sirhan, James Earl Ray, Donald Trump.
Our grandkids and great-grandkids will write those names down in answer to questions about notorious men who were enemies of our country.
Yes, Trump's place in history is secure.
Monday, July 24, 2023
BORDER MATH
Occasionally, I’ll do a math problem to make sure dementia has not fully taken hold.
Let’s see. There are 5280 feet in a mile and the U.S. border with Mexico is 1200 miles long or 6,233,000 linear feet.
Governor Gregg Abbott has ordered orange buoys to be placed in a 1000 foot stretch of the border in the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass, Texas.
Does that seem to you like a real solution or a publicity stunt?
Answer when ready.
CASCOS COMMENTS ON LOCAL ISSUES AS HE CONTEMPLATES SEEKING OFFICE
From the editor: Former Secretary of State and County Judge Carlos Cascos uses social media to speak out on issues.
As Cascos reportedly may again seek political office and, perhaps also in respect for his tenure of service, we repost a few of his observations below(We've taken the liberty of bolding key points):
Carlos Cascos |
There's got to be a better way to secure our border without causing deaths or serious injuries to anyone.
Those that don't live or spend time on the border do not realize the importance our border has on our State & Nation's economy.
Inspite of the challenges we have regarding border security, the border continues to be a vibrant component of our relationship with Mexico & all should be done to maintain & strengthen that relationship.
Human smuggling, many of which are children, illegally cross our border daily.
WAS THE $85,000 TREY MENDEZ POCKETED FROM BCIC REALLY "FREE MONEY?"
Trey Mendez |
To "be like Trey," all one needs to do is run for office, closely monitor so-called economic development boards like the BCIC and the GBIC, naming board members, helping to write the rules for economic programs, then, once out of office, cash in to benefit personally from all of the above.
Thwarted while still mayor from claiming $200,000 in economic develpment funds to refurbish the Coca Cola Building downtown, it's now been reported on Juan Montoya's El Rrun Rrun that Mendez accepted an $85,000 grant, yes, you guessed it, to use toward refurbishment for the Coca Cola Building.
As this blog has repeated ad nauseum, the reason 4A and 4B funds are separated from the city's general fund is to keep politicians from dispersing them to their friends, or, even more vile, to themselves.
You may remember that it was Trey Mendez, while still mayor, along with city administrator Ramiro Gonzalez, who, as a tandem, held out their hands for $200,000 from BCIC.
Gonzalez, as a city employee, lost his job over the incident, while Mendez, as an elected official, did not.
As also reported in Montoya's blog, the City of Brownsville recently passed a new Code of Ethics forbidding elected officials from doing what Trey attempted to do originally, but that same code also contains a proviso extending that prohibition to 12 months after the official leaves office.
It seems clear that Mendez has violated that Code of Ethics.
Now, the proverbial ball is in the City Commission's court as they can negate, overturn this grant.
Brownsville Mayor John Cowen |
Mayor John Cowen has a golden opportunity to demonstrate leadership here. Will he stand up for the city and its hardworking taxpayers or will he simply look the other way and allow a friend, a crony, the former mayor, to pocket economic development funds?
As for Trey Mendez, even if the city commission wimps out on enforcing their newly-created Code of Ethics, Mendez will pay dearly for taking advantage of a system he helped create.
The respect Mendez garnered years ago as a TSC trustee, standing up to powerful interests that wanted to swallow up that school, will be lost.
Mendez will simply be viewed as another politico with his hand out.
The money will not be free.
Trey will pay with his reputation.
MEXICO TO SPEND OVER $1 BILLION USD BUILDING ARMY BARRACKS IN HIGH CRIME CITIES
from Borderland Beat
The Mexican Army is preparing one of its most ambitious projects in the current administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO). It intends to investment more than MXN$19 billion (about US$1 billion) to build more than 116 barracks in Mexico's most-violent municipalities.
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