Gale Snoats

No surprise that a sophisticate from the big city has no knowledge of Permian basin

Searched and didn’t see a thread. Have to be there for a few nights soon and would like to eat really well both nights. Any recs?

My aunt came to Texas on a basketball scholarship but got hurt and ended up being a trainer for the football team. One day in one of the big trash bins outside the locker room was a an earl Campbell helmet with a cracked face mask. Had is name written in marker inside the ear hole, athletic tape around the bottom middle of the face mask, different color paint marks on the outside. Looked just like one that you see in all his pics. She grabbed it and gave it to me when I was little. It was my prized possession. When I was in my twenties in the early 2000’s I had to spend some time at MD Anderson. My head and neck cancer surgeon was a UT grad and a huge Texas fan - really cool young doc from Cuba. He successfully performed a life saving surgery on me and, after many trips back over the next few years and getting the all clear, I gave him the helmet. He loved it and it was a great feeling to celebrate with him when that particular section of MD doesn’t have a ton of all clears. I now have a boy of my own who is crazy about UT. I wish I had it to give to him but am still ok with what I did. It was a cool helmet though!

I think the fajitas at Joann’s are good and also like their non Tex Mex stuff. Good chicken fried. I think the best fajitas in Austin are la piscina. Expensive but very very good.

Any thoughts on Santa Rita? It’s one of those places I’ve driven by a million times but never been to. It’s close to the house and would be great if it was a spot we could go to but I worry it’s not very good. I think it’s the same people who own 34th street cafe which is a comfy neighborhood spot we go to from time to time.

The lane narrowing on 31st and shoal creek right by the school is the stupidest fucking thing in the history of the world. Between the new super wide bike lanes and walk lane and the cars parked on the road it’s basically one lane that cars going opposite directions are left to fight over. Turned a peaceful little street into thunder dome every weekday morning. I would be livid if I lived on that street.

Got his ass kicked again yesterday: Whistleblower lawsuit against Ken Paxton can continue, Travis County judge rules Hogan Gore Austin American-Statesman 0:02 0:17 A long-running wrongful termination lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — which prompted his impeachment and drew interest from federal law enforcement authorities — can continue despite multiple attempts by the state's top lawyer to have it thrown out, a District Court judge ruled Wednesday in rejecting a motion to conclude the case. Travis County state District Court Judge Catherine Mauzy's ruling, which comes a day after the Texas Supreme Court issued an emergency ruling to temporarily delay Paxton's deposition in the case, lets the lawsuit brought by four former agency employees continue as the state's high court considers Paxton's argument seeking to block his sworn testimony. Paxton had been scheduled to be deposed Thursday. Arguing in District Court on Wednesday, Bill Helfand, Paxton's attorney, said there is no reason for the case to proceed as the attorney general is ready to accept a final ruling in the suit and comply with any settlement agreement the court issues. "My client is prepared, and has authorized me, to come here and concede the entry of a judgment of liability," Helfand said, maintaining his argument made in previous court filings that continuing the case is an unnecessary waste of resources. Addressing the court for about 20 minutes, Helfand pushed back on the whistleblowers' argument that Paxton's testimony is warranted to adjudicate the case and inform a possible future decision by the Legislature on whether or not to fund a potential settlement. Last year, the Texas House rejected Paxton's request to pay a $3.3 million settlement agreement with the whistleblowers, and the lower chamber instead launched an investigation into the former employees' allegations of bribery and abuse of office. The House overwhelmingly voted to impeach the attorney general on 20 charges. Ultimately, the Texas Senate, which held an impeachment trial, acquitted Paxton. "There's no reason not to proceed with a judgment because there's nothing else to be done in this case that the plaintiffs need to get a judgment because my client is conceding the entry of the judgment," Helfand said. Before rejecting Paxton's motion for a final judgement, which is meant to circumvent the District Court order compelling him and three of his deputies to be deposed in hopes of avoiding a future trial, Mauzy was skeptical of Helfand's argument that the attorney general is both willing to concede to a final verdict and also maintain his innocence. "Those seem to me to be contradictory positions," Mauzy said. TJ Turner, an attorney for the whistleblowers — Paxton's former top deputies who say they were fired after approaching the FBI with concerns that their boss might have acted improperly in helping a since-indicted campaign donor, Nate Paul — called Helfand's argument the latest ploy to keep Paxton off the witness stand. "This is just the latest parlor trick in OAG's quiver that they've deployed to avoid what the Attorney General fears most, and that's testifying under oath," Turner said, referring to the Office of the Attorney General. Turner, successfully making the argument to reject Paxton's motion, said the whistleblowers are entitled to craft a full record in court of their complaint against Paxton, and that Paxton does not have the right to accept a judgement and continue to deny any fault in the case. "This amended answer they filed specifically denies our allegations from one side of their mouth, while saying they will no longer contest them from the other," Turner said. In post-hearing comments to the media, Turner said the whistleblowers' case in District Court is allowed to continue as the Supreme Court deliberates Paxton's appeal about being deposed. No additional hearings in Travis County were scheduled after Mauzy's ruling Wednesday. Outside of the court settings, the whistleblower case has gained the attention of national Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday lobbied for the state's high court to stop the legal action against Paxton.

just got back and can confirm it's open and delicious as always.

True just hoping he’s wrong about this too.

Was planning to meet at friend at Enchiladas Y Mas today and he replied to my text saying he heard it closed a couple of weeks ago? Is this true? If so, wtf? Horrible horrible news.

We did this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Maybe common knowledge here but the story was news to me. I might mess some of this up but from what I remember had had his hq in the Midwest (I think Madison?) and wanted something out west so he came out to Scottsdale (or thereabouts) and basically went out in the desert in the middle of nowhere and said “this looks like a good spot) and built a campus / commune type place. For the rest of his years he’d split time bw the two places and his followers would follow him back and forth. When we were there (maybe 2011?) there were a few of his original students still there. They were in their 90s.

We always hit the MML places up there -- Clark's and Las Montanas. We have a Clarks here but enjoy the one up there. Las Montanas is great -- fajitas on par with La Piscina here in Austin but they have queso too. MML also has a great bakery in the business park across from the airport. Cloud 9 is a crazy scene if you hit it on the right day and worth doing once just for the experience and to see the jetset crowd champagne showers. All in all Aspen is very very expensive but once you get past that it's a great place to spend a few days.

Just stopped in at Johnny’s in Eagle Lake. Not many places have 410 3 inch. They had a ton.

3 ski days in aspen last week. 2 on highlands and 1 on buttermilk with the kids. Snow was ok but not great. Pretty icy by day 3 then of course snowed hard the morning we left. No lines anywhere and town was relatively empty too. Getting old and more and more injury prone so my goal was no falls. Made it to the end of day two on highlands - took a wrong turn and got caught in a double black. Made it about half way down then got timid on the bumps, leaned back, lost it and hit the back of my head hard. Scared me more than anything. My head doesn’t hurt but both sides of my neck have been sore as hell for several days. Never had whiplash and was surprised the pain was on both sides of the neck. I think cruising greens on buttermilk from here on out.

Titty!

Leaving Austin about 5:30 or so today headed south to just outside Cotulla taking 35 all the way down. Can you SA gentlemen tell me the establishment that offers the best puffy tacos together with easiest access off of / close to 35 that will be open at 6:30 or 7 in the evening? Thank you

2023 Z71 4x4 Suburban with tires that came on it (not sure what kind but assume with that package some sort of off road light). Only 15K miles on the vehicle so tread is pretty fresh.

We're headed to Aspen for a few days in early January. We were planning on flying but are now thinking about driving (from Austin) so we can stop in Santa Fe on the way and see some friends. Barring the occasional winter storm is the drive from Santa Fe to Aspen pretty doable that time of year? We drive to SF quite a bit around Christmas and drive to CO in the summer but rarely drive to CO in the snowy months.

Was on a zoom with a guy when he got a text from his boy at UNLV while it was going down. Intense.

Perfect. Thank y’all.

Great thread but overwhelming for a novice. Any suggestions for a good bottle under a $100 for a gift that I can likely find at twins?

We always hit up keens. Went last week and it was great. Really cool old place with a lot of history. A bunch of old rooms full of old paintings and such. Layout reminds me of an old New Orleans restaurant in the quarter.

Yeah we’ve got a few other families with us and I think it’s gonna be cards and ballgame at hotel. Carlyle is great and rooms have a big front room that will work. Thanks for the reply.

Got in last night. Staying at the Carlyle just killing time today then early dinner at keens. Any thoughts on a good place to watch Texas Iowa state tonight close to either place? We’ll have our 10 and 12 yr olds with us.

Twice is correct. A bit more detail - Jones threaded the needle and was able to file FSS under the relatively new sub V provision of chapter 11 which was created during covid for small businesses and is more debtor friendly. Jones will soon attempt to confirm a debtor friendly sub V plan for FSS which will call for a shorter plan term and lower payout rate than the creditors want. That part is unfortunate but the good news is the over $1.1 billion judgment against him personally cannot be discharged and, unless the discharge finding is flipped on appeal, will never go away unless settled or satisfied in full.