The Astros are on the verge of winning a postseason series for the first time since 2005. Game 4 at Boston is happening as I type, with the Astros up 2-1 in the 3rd inning. (UPDATE: Astros 5, Red Sox 4. Astros win the series 3-1.)
The Dynamo are in the thick of a playoff chase, needing to rack up some points at home against Kansas City, then at Kansas City, then back home against Chicago. None of it will be easy for a team that has fallen far from its first-half form.
The Dash seldom got within sniffing distance of a playoff spot this year, finishing eighth of ten. Yesterday, Denise O'Sullivan, a midfielder they waived mid-season, scored the only goal in North Carolina Courage's playoff win over Chicago Red Stars. Another ex-Dash midfielder, US international Morgan Brian, did not play.
All this sports news is inspired by this week's Texoblogosphere's linking an item by Socratic Gadfly about his beloved St. Louis Cardinals, rather than one of his left-curmudgeonly political rants.
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Off the Kuff is glad to see that at least for now, your voter registration info is safe from the clutches of the Trump Commission.
Noah Horwitz, in the Houston Chronicle, asks why the flags shouldn't just be left at half-mast perpetually in this hellish new world of ours. (And don't miss yesterday afternoon's Funny with the perfect toon tie-in.)
Cardinals fan SocraticGadfly salutes the success of the old NL Central rival Houston Astros, while offering a Redbirds post-mortem and to-do list, including wondering if Giancarlo Stanton is available and at what possible price.
Our Revolution swung through Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Tyler with Nina Turner and Jim Hightower headlining, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs cautioned the state's withered Democratic Party that their future lies there (and essentially nowhere else). Update: The Progressive Wing posted Tweets and photos of the North Texas rally.
jobsanger has some sobering facts about guns in America.
Texas Vox applauds Austin for making solar power more accessible.
The Lewisville Texan Journal thinks that a nearby upscale neighborhood called Castle Hills might be a contender for Amazon's HQ2.
Neil at All People Have Value said the bottom line goal of his political activism is to be able to account for himself as we fight Trump and all these lousy people. APHV is part of NeilAquino.com.
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More Lone Star blog posts and news!
In Texas Monthly's regular roundup of state political developments, Ken Paxton is under investigation again—this time for bribery—and the TexTrib sees Trump headed our way (Dallas, specifically) for a fundraiser near the end of this month. (PoliTex says a photo with him will set you back 35 grand.)
Adventus fears that smaller communities damaged by Harvey will miss out on recovery funds.
Offcite looks at the lessons Houston can learn from suburbs that were designed with nature in mind.
Better Texas Blog insists that insurance coverage for contraception should be a health care standard.
Mean Green Cougar Red has had enough of the "search for answers" after every mass gun homicide.
The TSTA Blog compares and contrasts Don Willett and Thurgood Marshall.
In an era when 97% of of criminal cases end in a plea bargain, Grits for Breakfast wonders why an innocent person would accept one.
And the Rivard Report takes a ahem gander at how new laws regarding the ownership of chickens might reduce food insecurity in the Alamo City.