Chris Newlin - Texas Outlaw Writers

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: So Long, Farewell to Ted Lasso et al Edition

Last week, several high-profile, excellent "streaming" series dropped their season and series finales. (I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum, but there will be clues.) In our household, Succession, Barry, and Ted Lasso all wrapped up to a rapt-up audience. The last show of the Ted Lasso season

Newsletter

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: Paxton Gets Tuckered Edition

Ken Paxton. The Texas Attorney General. Impeached. You've heard? The first statewide officeholder in over a century to be impeached in Texas. Twenty articles of impeachment. Good going, Ken! You worked hard for this! Just like your hero, Donald Trump! But will you be acquitted like the former president? But

Newsletter

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: John Nova Lomax Memorial Edition

The Outlaws are sad to announce the passing of one of our own, John Nova Lomax. Maybe "one of our own" is a bit of a stretch, but John was one of the early contributors here on the Texas Outlaw Writers website and newsletter. He's listed as a "guest writer"

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: Everything is Aw-right Edition

No. Not really. Everything is pretty sucky lately in Texas. The legislature, in an effort to ram through as much heartache before the fat lady sings, is trying to complete some nasty stuff so that it can be signed by the gub'ner. Here's a small sample: • HB 2127 is getting

Newsletter

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: "I Had Sex with that Woman" Edition

One of the Texas legislature's most militant culture warriors was voted off of the island for being a groomer.

Newsletter

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: Live Forever Edition

We missed it. Sure, you clicked the Ticketmaster "Buy" button about 5 million times and finally scored your tween and her pals some $800 Taylor Swift tickets. (Don't forget to take several hundred bucks for a T-shirt!) But the ticket that you really wanted was the ticket to see Willie

Newsletter

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: All the Blowing Up of Things Edition

News anchor careers, big-ass rockets, possibly an old hotel, maybe the debt ceiling, and hopefully the DeSantis campaign. All Blowed up. Blowed up real good.

Newsletter

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: The Fire Still Burns Edition

A packed issue this week, so pace yourself. I'll lead off with a piece that I've been working on for a while. Today marks a significant anniversary. Fire tore through the Branch Davidian compound thirty years ago, and it is not an exaggeration to say that the resulting fury still

US History

Diamonds (and the Waco Fire) Are Forever

30 years ago today, the Branch Davidian compound outside of Waco, TX went up in flames. 78 Davidians including their messianic leader, David Koresh died in the conflagration. For 51 days, hundreds of reporters from all over the world covered the siege, standoff, and fire. It was surreal.

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: Spring Break It Edition

How's your Spring Break going? Are you skiing? Touring Europe? Building sand castles along the beach? Or are you passed out on the couch while the kids are finishing off the last box of ThinMints™ in their 12th hour of playing Minecraft? Remember when you were young and full of

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: Give it Up for Lent, Edition

How was your Fat Tuesday? Or as we Americans refer to it, "Tuesday." We have a few weeks, well, 40 days, until the next big holiday. We got through Presidents' Day, Valentine's Day, MLK's Birthday, Superbowl Sunday... and those days were right behind New Year's and Christmas, etc. So now,

social media

The Monsters Are Here On Maple Street - And Everywhere Else

"You're standing here all set to crucify - all set to find a scapegoat - all desperate to point some kind of a finger at a neighbor! Well now look, friends, the only thing that's gonna happen is that we'll eat each other up alive." -The Monsters are Due on Maple Street

Technology

A Robot Wrote this Article. No, Really.

Is it hyperbole anymore to think that those scary, sci-fi movie warnings are at hand? AI "learns" from continued use, it builds upon data points that are continually being added to the internet. And these days, how hard is it to imagine that the machines really are smarter than we are?

Humor

Would You Take Our Survey About Surveys?

Rate your survey! Would you mind staying on the line and answering a few questions about your recent survey?

Podcast

Texas Outlaw Writers' Podcast: A Texas Energy Report w/ Mike Shiloh

Texas prides itself on being the #1 oil-producing state. They're leading the country in adding renewable energy projects. And yes, there can be tension between those factions, (but traditional energy companies are not going to leave money on the table when it comes to new technology.) But Mike Shiloh warns

Newsletter

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: Eeeeek! It's Almost Christmas Edition

LOOK AT THE CALENDAR! YOU HAVE SO LITTLE TIME! SHOP! SHOP! FINISH DECORATING FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE! GET THE COOKIES IN THE OVEN! CHECK THAT CALENDAR AGAIN!!! IT'S ALMOST HERE!!! LET THAT SINK IN, as the kids like to say. Ahem. How's your Christmas season going? Got the shopping done? The

Podcast

Texas Outlaw Writers' Podcast: Counting the Returns w/ Dr. Michael Adams

The 2022 Midterm Election Returns are (kinda-sorta-mostly) in. The Outlaws hash out the goings-on with Dr. Michael Adams, director of the Executive Masters of Public. Administration program at Texas Southern University. Dr. Adams specializes in electoral politics, redistricting, and voting rights. We talk about the (surprise!) absence of a national

Feature

The Death of the Funeral

It was apparent that there had been a major change in memorial services when Monty Python's song, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" became the #1 requested song at funerals. It's sung (and whistled) by Python Eric Idle in the Movie "The Life of Brian" as he's being crucified.

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Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: We Don't Need No Steenkin' Badges Edition

Being Outlaws and all, we were worried when we heard that there was a new sheriff in town. And then we heard it was Herschel Walker, so we laughed and went back to watching "Blazing Saddles." * The midterms are fast approaching. Mail-in voting is happening, and early voting is less

national politics

Herschel Walker: The Republican Party Brand

It's tough to write anything about Herschel Walker. Like Trump, every day is a new low. Has he eclipsed Trump as the new GOP Brand? Or does his candidacy represent something far worse?

Racism

One Senate Race, Two Black Men. Patterns: The Use of Negative Stereotypes

“If you are Herschel Walker and don’t understand how the racists are using you to give cover to their racism, then you are not qualified to serve in the U.S. Senate at this time." Kevin Harris, Former Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus

Journalism

Moths that Fly Close to Flames

Margaret has been described as a "swashbuckler." I think that's accurate. Mr. Dictionary says that a swashbuckler is "a person who engages in daring and romantic adventures with bravado or flamboyance." Yeah. That's it. That was Margaret.

national politics

I'm Ready to Sell Out

I’m no slut, mind you. To paraphrase the late Leon Redbone, “I’m not easy, but I can be had.” I’ll require some… compensation.

Texas Outlaw Writers Newsletter: We Labor for this Edition

The Outlaws celebrate Labor Day! Raise a glass to your fellow working wo/man! Support a local (union chapter.) Educate your kids about the history of labor in the U.S. Encourage your local Starbucks barista to fight the good fight (!) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like so many 3-Day-Weekend holidays, the meanings behind

Technology

I Upgraded My Cell Phone

Cell phone upgrades happen at the crossroads of funeral planning and new car buying.

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