statsman

It was more Phillip Marlowe, than Sam Spade, at the end. I still enjoyed it.

I am pissed off most at Carlson and his ilk (the Trumpy nationalist wing of conservatism, as opposed to the libertarian/markets wing). Ok, you could argue that saying”Putin has his own interests, and it’s Ukraine’s fight, not ours)is a stance. I don’t agree with that, but it was something to argue. After the mass graves of Bucha, after the tactical rapes, after the hijacking of children, mistreatment of POWs, the targeting of civilians, the thieving of western property, the coordination with Iran, … shit, there really is no end- it’s pretty clear they are wrong. Russia is a threat to the U.S. And they can’t fucking admit it.

You need to tell him, that on his deathbed, Bill Little signed a statement that the Ags’ really did intercept the ball inbounds and that Bellmont has that document locked in a safe.

I saw Daingerfield do his act in the Performing Arts Center, in ‘83 or ‘84. It was 90 minutes of a non-stop, fast paced barrage of jokes. There was no waiting for the laughter to subside before starting the next one. My sides ached when it was over.

Europe has ratcheted up military spending. But it has a long way to go if it aims to reduce its dependence on U.S. military support and face down Russian aggression. https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/europe-is-boosting-military-spending-its-still-not-enough-020b432a?st=xv1wsfo3az8any5&reflink=share_mobilewebshare

TCU and Baylor are a “rivalry”. TCU and SMU are a “rivalry”. BU and TT are a “rivalry”. I use quotes, because real rivalries are fun- the anticipation leading up to the game, the feeling that the highs are higher and the lows are lower; that it means something being there. The fans and players all feel it. TCU, BU, and TT know that, because that’s what they feel about games with Texas. But Texas doesn’t feel that way about games with them. Example- in 2018, Texas beat TCU for the first time since 2013. To Texas fans, it was…another game, not as much fun as USC, not near as much fun as OU. The IR8 schools try to build up rivalries into something, but it’s like trying to make yourself love someone you just don’t. It happens organically or it doesn’t happen at all.

I was surprised by ACU, and looked it up; they played before in 1941 and 1949 (West Texas State and Hardin-Simmons are the ones they played a score of times before)

It’s ok, Slorch. After this spring, you won’t have to suffer through any more. I’m sure your peers and rivals, Baylor, TCU and UH, will provide atmospheres satisfying for you.

This is what Israel did for a number of years, as the rockets kept coming in from the south and north; they built an “Iron Dome”, rather than return bombings to the sites they launched from, in civilian centers. How much empathy from the rest of the world did it get them? What ideas do you have for defeating Hamas, “surgically”? I have one- Qatar could have been so horrified that they turned Hamas leadership over to Israel, to deal with (or better, popped a cap into Hamas’ leaders’ heads themselves). But, they didn’t. Because they are fine with Hamas. The brutal reality is- Israel is surrounded by neighbors that do not believe it has a right to exist as a nation. Furthermore, many of those nations have populations that don’t believe Jews have a right to exist- it’s in their spoken and written statements, and even louder in their actions. Israel, and Jews worldwide, understand that very clearly now. (They have past experience with it). Everybody wants to relieve the humanitarian disaster by having Israel cease operations. How about if Hamas ceases, and surrenders? Or, its leadership? Why doesn’t anyone ask for that? Oh, because they won’t? That they intend to continue the fight, to repeat October 7 at the first opportunity? A few people have posted that they know Israelis, and it’s not just Netanyahu wanting to press this war, that the nation has a different attitude about it now. Maybe the peace is going to have to come from Hamas- whether it’s willing or not.

But, … Raffah is where Hamas was holding hostages. Thats how Hamas operates. For all the talk about the need for surgical strikes, Hamas looks for the population centers and sets base there. Because, Hamas really wants the Israelis to have to kill a bunch of civilians in order to get to them. As for a day after idea- who does have the credibility to manage Gaza?

The negative recruiting trope that “Texas doesn’t develop talent” and “You can’t get to the NFL from Austin”? There are 11 Longhorns going to the NFL combine. Based on next year’s conference memberships, here are the conference breakdowns for the combine: B1G: 90 invites/18 teams = 5.0 invites per team SEC: 89/16=5.5 ACC: 47/18=2.6 B12: 38/16=2.4

I’m circling back to the Iran thing. Anyone want to argue that the Islamic Republic isn’t anti-Semitic? Iran shares no border with Israel. They have no economic or diplomatic relationship. Yet, Iran has been using its IRG to kill Jews since the ‘80s, and not just in Israel. They’ll kill senior Jewish Argentinians, they’ll kill any they can, wherever. Which means- Israel has decided Iran cannot have nukes. To Israel, a nuclear armed Iran is an existential threat, because those motherfuckers will use them. They’ve displayed with Hezbollah and Hamas that they’ll launch missiles at Israel indiscriminately, from the north and the south. This decision by Israel has made the study of physics, in Iran, a very dangerous curriculum, because Israel will murder Iranian atomic scientists. Iran is just loving all this shit going on.

Why did Hamas enact 10-7? Hamas gets a lot of funding (and most of its ordnance) from Iran. Iran is working a lot of projects (countering SA, taking control of waterways, supporting Russia in Ukraine, who knows what in Syria). They’re getting regional blowback. There’s nothing that works to pull all the regional militants together, like a good fight with Israel. Sorry Gazans. You thought this was going to be about you. You’re there to serve Teheran’s needs.

It is awful. It hurts to think about. How should it end? Hamas should surrender. Hamas fucked up (Iran helped them make the mistake). They picked a fight they can’t win, unless they can pressure Israel to stop. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and any Gazan civilians holding hostages should release them, if still alive. Israel is less restrained than before. There are more innocents being killed. They are not letting safety of hostages override all. It looks like this will continue until Hamas surrenders or is wiped out. I don’t see another choice between supporting Israel, supporting Hamas (cease fire), or doing nothing. I guess records can be made for future war crime trials…for both sides, for what good it will do What more is there to say?

“Texas is no better than us! Git yer guns up!”

Two years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, families of the roughly 6,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war are facing a near-total information blackout about the status of their loved ones https://www.wsj.com/world/russias-silence-on-ukrainian-pows-compounds-the-agony-for-families-98b43845?st=13c6y86cu9o9gvu&reflink=share_mobilewebshare

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia-buying-musks-starlink-systems-in-arab-countries-ukraine-says-a0185f55?st=037xvm0bxqei717&reflink=mobilewebshare_permalink

I only mentioned ATT and NRG as examples, because when LSU played TCU in Texas, they insisted the game be at ATT instead of Amon Carter. When Ole Miss played Tech, they insisted on NRG. The key point- there is no reason for Texas to ever play a game in this state in any stadium that doesn’t provide 40k tix min just for Texas fans. That we have played games at Jones, Amon Carter, UH and McLane, allowing them sellouts and supporting season tix sales, has been a century long gift that has become taken for granted.

Yep. And they didn’t do anything for us, to assist with our departure from the B12. This really should go in the “Left Behind” thread, but a lot of IR8 programs really seemed to have an inflated sense of the relationships’ importance. They got in the habit of “flexing” on Texas, because Texas had to play them, whether it wanted to or not.

OK, how about NRG in Houston?

Forget any hurt feelings. Those will pass as ADs and presidents retire, and regents rotate off. In pure business terms- why would Texas schedule a home and away with any school in Texas, unless they can guarantee 40k seats for Texas fans? Why? If Texas plays TCU, TT or Baylor again, in football, the games will be in DKR-TMS or ATT in Arlington.

Is there anyone that struggles more with English than Tony Romo?

Yes. He talked a good game earlier, but in the recent deliberations, he was not one of the 17 GOP senators to vote for Ukrainian aid

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/how-putins-obsession-with-history-led-him-to-start-a-war-6732f619?st=ncjjnhwh4syir6p&reflink=mobilewebshare_permalink

Yeah, it’s kind of a screwed up operation when the people in charge of getting aid to the Palestinian refugees are also wanting to kill Jews.