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Texas News Anchor Slams Noem And Abbott For Using Flood Press Conference To Praise Each Other
State and federal officials spent the beginning of every news conference effusively thanking and praising each other and MAGA Republican President Donald Trump instead of giving immediate updates on search and rescue efforts, the status of the dead and missing people, or anything about the floods in and around the Texas Hill Country and the Guadalupe River.
Once Noem and Abbott were done gushing over how great they all were, other officials did the same, again delaying disclosing the information that the people affected by the floods needed to hear for almost half an hour.
The fifth time proved to be too much for Jimenez to listen without comment while her co-anchor, Steve Spriester, studiously avoided looking at her or the camera.
You can watch the moment here:
Jiminez said:
“What I was struck by is that we really didn’t get any concrete information until 27 minutes into that news conference where you had the governor speak, you had Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speak for a while."
"But you know what people are wanting is information."
She added:
"I don’t know what it is about people who run for federal office that whenever disasters like this happen, they take it upon themselves to first list all the names of people they want to thank."
"Um, not what we want to hear right now."
Jimenez wasn't wrong in her assessment, with actual information not coming until 26 minutes and 30 seconds into the fifth press conference that was declared to provide information to the anxious families, friends, and neighbors waiting for news about their loved ones and their community.
No one took questions until after Abbott performed a signing ceremony for a disaster-aid request for Trump, gushed about Trump’s love of Texas, effusively thanked Trump, and asked for prayers repeatedly.
Noem then took her turn thanking Abbott and name-dropping Trump. Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn also took up people's time to thank and praise everyone, followed by other officials taking their turn to fawn over Trump, Abbott and Noem.
Then the press conference actually turned to information people had wanted to hear.
Jimenez shared the sentiments of many of those desperate for news, saying:
"That was a lot longer than it needed to be. If they don’t have the latest information that they can give us, they should have said so."
"My point is that they spent way too long thanking each other. And this is something that is bipartisan. We see it whenever there’s a disaster. Doesn’t matter which President is in office."
"For some reason federal leaders tend to thank each other for a long time before they tell us what we actually need."
The San Antonio news anchor reminded the officials:
"This disaster happened yesterday and what people want is information."
"They can't even tell us right now exactly how many people are missing. We understand why—the 4th of July holiday weekend, there were a lot of people there that are unaccounted for."
"People are on pins and needles waiting."
Jimenez's somewhat uncomfortable looking colleague added:
"I worried we weren't going to get any information at all. [Officials] weren't going to tell us the death toll, how many people are missing, how many kids have been lost."
People agreed that the priority during disasters and their aftermath should be on information, not self-adoration.
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As of this writing, the July 4th flash floods in the region have claimed the lives of 104 people, including 84 people in Kerr County alone.
The number of missing continues to change as people take account of their families, friends, and neighbors.
Trump Lashes Out After 'Train Wreck' Elon Musk Announces He's Creating New Political Party
Musk—who had earlier polled X users if they'd be open to the new party—took another shot at the bill when he published the following message:
"By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom."
You can see what he wrote below.
An angry Trump fired back:
"I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely “off the rails,” essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks. He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States - The System seems not designed for them."
"The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds! Republicans, on the other hand, are a smooth running “machine,” that just passed the biggest Bill of its kind in the History of our Country."
"It is a Great Bill but, unfortunately for Elon, it eliminates the ridiculous Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate, which would have forced everyone to buy an Electric Car in a short period of time. I have been strongly opposed to that from the very beginning. People are now allowed to buy whatever they want - Gasoline Powered, Hybrids (which are doing very well), or New Technologies as they come about - No more EV Mandate."
"I have campaigned on this for two years and, quite honestly, when Elon gave me his total and unquestioned Endorsement, I asked him whether or not he knew that I was going to terminate the EV Mandate - It was in every speech I made, and in every conversation I had. He said he had no problems with that - I was very surprised!"
He ultimately suggested Musk had inappropriately referred one of his "close friends" to run NASA and said his top priority is "protect[ing] the American Public!":
"Additionally, Elon asked that one of his close friends run NASA and, while I thought his friend was very good, I was surprised to learn that he was a blue blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before."
"Elon probably was, also. I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon’s corporate life. My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!"
You can see what he wrote below.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
It was like a car crash you can't look away from—and both men faced harsh criticism as they continued to battle publicly.
Musk's threat to target Republican supporters of the bill may carry more influence in the House than in the Senate.
Unlike senators, who serve six-year terms with staggered elections, every single House member must run for re-election every two years. Because House races are confined to smaller congressional districts rather than entire states, a substantial influx of campaign funding into a primary opponent’s campaign could have a more significant impact.
Trump recently threatened to end the federal subsidies received by Musk’s companies and even floated the idea of deporting Musk—who became a U.S. citizen in 2002—when reporters asked if he would consider such a move.
Restaurant Servers Describe The Worst Dates They've Ever Witnessed
I've witnessed both the best and the worst of humanity.
But nothing compares to watching awkward or bad dates in real time.
I could tell if the chemistry was going to be on or off in mere seconds.
Break-ups, make-ups, marriage proposals, and even a death or two.
Love ain't easy at "The Olive Garden."
Redditor Common-Sprinkles9328 wanted to hear from all of the restaurant servers out there, spill some tea, they were asked;
"Waiters of Reddit, what 'well this is going horribly' dates have you witnessed?"
No Coke?
"I've seen a bunch but the best was when a guy brought in a canned Pepsi and just asked for a glass with ice. He then offered one to his date.
"It did not go well."
- ElHamburglare
Excuse Me Lol GIF Giphy
She Left
"The man tried to order for his date, she didn’t like that, but it was early in the date so she said nothing, he ordered an expensive appetizer that she didn’t want, only he ate it. She looked not impressed but still seemed to be trying to feign interest. It came time to order dinner, and he tried to order something expensive for her: surf and turf."
"She said no thank you; she was a vegetarian (something established before the date) and wanted the vegetarian dish. He didn’t back down and insisted she have the surf and turf. She again said no, she wouldn’t eat it. He countered with, 'he could afford it, so why not?!' She left."
- MissHillary
Death Arrives Before Dessert...
"I remember this one time a couple were on their first date, the restaurant was empty, and the guy was a regular, so I made sure that they had a great experience. Hooked them up with a free app and some wine and let the lady play her music on the speakers. When I was bringing them dessert, she got a phone call, and she was told that her father had died. It went from a near-perfect evening to probably the worst night of her life."
- Master_Air_8485
It's a Hard No!
"I’ve witnessed two failed marriage proposals. One was uneventful; the proposal happened, and she quietly said no. They both left looking dejected. As for the other one, he was an obnoxious jerk and she seemed over it. He proposed at dessert, she said no, he tried to argue, and they ended up yelling at each other in the rain outside the restaurant. She was right to turn him down."
- HorrorAvatar
He Bailed
"Had a customer who was meeting a guy for a blind date. I saw a man walk into the room, scan the room, and walk out. After a couple of lonely glasses of wine and constant checking of the phone, it became apparent that he bailed. I asked if she wanted to order a meal, and she declined. I gave her a dessert and told her the bill had been taken care of."
- NillarGorillar
'What Did You Think?!'
"Former waiter here. The sheer number of dates I saw that were just one person going on and on and on about themselves and not asking the other person there a single question was mind-blowing."
"But I think the worst one I ever saw was when a guy asked the person he was with to quickly run lines with him for an audition he wanted to do. I think he thought it was some kind of flex, like he would impress his date by slipping in his amazing acting skills before their food arrived."
"Not surprisingly, perhaps, his acting skills were not so amazing. And then he said, 'What did you think?!' and instead of waiting for the answer, started explaining the brilliance behind some of his acting choices while his date was forced to half-heartedly nod along and praise the performance. It was so painfully awkward."
- Silly_Accident3137
Joaquin Phoenix Thumbs Down GIF Giphy
The Bad Guy
"I saw many good dates, bad dates, and everything in between. The saddest was a couple that seemed like a good match. Lady was so excited but the guy was insecure but successful. Persian dude in his early thirties. He got there early and it was a great date spot. I chatted with him while he nursed a drink to cool the nerves. He was a very down-to-earth guy and I felt like we genuinely connected."
"She shows up and was so excited... until he talked about himself and his career for the next 90 minutes. I wanted to scream at the guy to ask a question but he was trying to impress her and was a totally different guy."
- UknowNothingJohnSno
Painful
"It was these 2 kids that I'd guess were 12-14. The boy's mom drove them to the restaurant. The mom planned on f**king off to the bar so they could enjoy themselves."
"The boy would not let her leave the table no matter how many hints she and the girl tried to throw. I saw that he was physically holding his mother under the table."
"The boy was so nervous that he barely talked to the girl. He mostly talked to his mom... and the girl mostly talked to his mom. It was so painful to watch."
- esoteric_enigma
The Performance
"When I was in college, I was working in a bar where the man left his phone in his jacket and left the jacket on the chair when he went to the bathroom. His girlfriend/wife immediately went for it, and within the minute and 45 seconds he was gone, she apparently found what she was looking for, and as he returned, she started yelling and flipped the high-top table over."
"She ran out with his phone, and he ran after, and we just comped the check because no one was interrupting that."
"I hope it was a scam, they deserved every single bite for free, but they didn’t stay long enough to enjoy the fruits of their performance if so. Also, I watched all the color drain from that man’s face and he looked like a fish swallowed a golf ball, so an epic performance if it was staged."
- drulaps
A deer in headlights
"While working at a little dessert shop, a regular brought her date in. Things seemed fine, but later that week he came in alone and tried to get my number. I, of course, told her as soon as I could, and she was sad but grateful."
"The worst I've ever witnessed I was just another person eating next to a date. I was actually catching up with a friend, and we wound up not talking most of the night and just listening to a woman become increasingly more erratic, explaining how badly she wanted to murder a bunch of different people in her life. Her date just sat there like a deer in headlights."
- jperscrpers
Cuba
"The guy spent like 10 minutes explaining to her how monogamy was a trap, and she was like 'Oh, cool. then let me tell you about this other guy I’m kinda interested in,' and then he proceeded to call her a wh**e and ask how many men she slept with in Cuba. Loudly in my crowded cafe, at like 3 pm. She denied ever visiting Cuba."
- doctor4th
Forlorn
"Not a waiter, but I did once see a woman storm out of a date in a very nice restaurant. The couple was seated at an adjacent table to me. She got up abruptly and left, just before the food was served."
"The waiters seemed to handle it very discreetly: they brought a cover to keep her meal warm in case she returned, and after a generous interval, quietly took her plate away. The guy waited for a while before forlornly eating his own meal and asking for the bill."
- InbhirNis
Sad Season 2 GIF by Friends Giphy
It Was Weird...
"We had this one older lady come in every week. She wore a different wig every time. Should would ask to sit at the same exact table and ask that we act like we’ve never met her before. Then, throughout the day, sometimes the entire day, she would have multiple dates."
"These men would just fawn all over her. If they did not bring her flowers, it was a wrap. She would ask that we help sneak her out of the restaurant until the guy left. Sometimes, it got really awkward. She never paid. She also asked that we only address her as Tiger."
"It was weird."
- vtxlulu
Vibes Off
"Saw this one date at the bistro where the dude was full-on analyzing the menu like he was hunting for typos instead of just picking a meal. Meanwhile, his date's doing the vanishing act, scrolling her phone, probably texting her escape route. Classic case of wrong priorities. Shoulda have gone for simpler vibes!"
- Foreign-Purple-3286
It's about ME!
"This was a lifetime ago, but the guy was being pretentious, condescending, and boring. The girl was eye-f**king me the whole time. I ran into her a week later on campus and found out that was a first date that never got a second. She and I ended up dating for quite some time and had a couple of bonus moments over the years when we both were single at the same time."
- Rob_LeMatic
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People are wild.
How hard is it to pay attention to your date?
That's like Dating 101.
It's the least of what you have to do.
And I'm starting to think that marriage proposals are better off done in private.
Hearing those rejections is a lot to handle... for the servers.
I forgot how personally stressful serving tables is.
Not missing it.