It’s not even up for debate, but Bonnie Tyler’s best song was Holding Out for a Hero. Sure, Total Eclipse of the Heart was her biggest hit; I won’t argue that.

“Hero” was originally recorded for the film Footloose, which I’ve oddly still haven’t seen. My first memory of the song was as an opening credit song for a CBS show, Cover Up. Sadly, the star of the show died from the misuse of a prop handgun with a blank cartridge against his head while playing a game of Russian roulette.

An under-reported story this week: George W. Bush turned 80. That’s a milestone birthday, and I only found out about it days later.

Starting on the Fourth of July, I decided it was time to watch a television series I’ve kept putting off: Turn: Washington’s Spies.

It’s better than I expected, and I think the acting is great. After each episode, I enjoy going online to see how much of the drama sticks to historical accuracy. I’d say about 70%. It was a nice surprise seeing that the underappreciated Stephen Root was part of the cast.

And since I brought up the Fourth of July, I thought it was odd for Senate candidate Texas AG Ken Paxton to be spotted in England with his mistress during the historic holiday. He didn’t do anything “wrong,” and he’s still favored to win, but vacationing in England, the nation we had to fight to win our independence during its 250th, was just a strange move (with his mistress, no less). Well, at least he didn’t abandon Texas to visit the tropics during one of the worst recorded ice storms in state history.

And, for the sake of a little balance, Main Democrats sure can’t vet a Senate candidate. Sheesh!

Perhaps my biggest annoyance about broadcast news is when they tease a story that could prevent harm and even be time-sensitive, but don’t provide any pertinent information to force the public to tune in. They love to tout their importance and their role as a public service to the community, but they really fail when they pull this stunt.

The latest example I saw of this was ABC World News Tonight with David Muir. They teased a story about an important recall of a popular eye drop because it may contain a foreign substance. They didn’t even get to the story until well after the first commercial break. And yes, I know in today’s world, you can easily find it online. But get this: Muir gave the story probably about 15 seconds and stated more can be found on their website. So, when I visited their website about an hour after broadcast, I couldn’t find the story on the front page, even after doing a Ctrl-F for keywords.

So, in case you are wondering about the details, here’s the direct link to the recall on the FDA’s website, and here’s a news article about the recall.

In a recall notice posted on its website on Thursday, the FDA said that the recall of more than 2.5 million bottles of Lupin’s prednisolone eye drops was because of the “presence of foreign substance.”

The affected bottles come in 5 mL, 10 mL and 15 mL quantities, and were produced by the India-based Lupin, which specializes in manufacturing generic pharmaceutical medications.

Another damn White House construction project: White House Hangs Tarps Over North Portico Amid Trump’s Construction Blitz

“Standard restoration work?” If you believe this, then I have a bridge in New York I want to sell you. He’s going to change the columns, something you may remember me posting about back in March.

All the news about Senator Mitch McConnell’s health is odd and very suspect. Even President Trump said he doesn’t know what’s going on, and since when does Trump admit not knowing something? His wife arrived in China on June 12, two days before McConnell’s emergency, and remained there for over three weeks while he was hospitalized. She’s even getting heat from the newspaper in her and her husband’s hometown.

Yes, the U.S. is knocked out of the World Cup. And yes, Country Roads was a great song for all of us to sing along to, but was there a missed opportunity not sneaking in I’m A Real American? You know, Hulk Hogan’s intro music? Hear me out: not only were we the main host nation, but it literally was taking place during our 250th birthday. It’s like the planets aligned for this one moment.

Here’s the feel-good story of the week. It’s one I’ve been keeping track of for a while thanks to Steve Hartman of CBS News and his end-of-week feel-good segments. It got even better when Shaq caught wind of this 7-foot-3 young man who preferred being a cop to being a basketball player. He fell one point short on passing the state exam, so Shaq jumped in to cover his living expenses for the next five months so he could focus on passing the test.

Shaq caught wind of this 7-foot-3 kid in Kemah, Texas who powered through the police academy only to fall one point short on the state exam. His whole dream of becoming an officer looked like it was slipping away right there.

Then Shaq jumped in and covered the guy’s living… pic.twitter.com/Exfc7LzYnF

— Desiree (@DesireeAmerica4) July 9, 2026

With Shaquille O’Neal’s help, Jordan Wilmore earns his Kemah police badge

U2 released the first track of their upcoming album, and most of us fans aren’t too impressed. But hey, I’m just happy for something new and another tour.

West Virginia spent $3M to create university program to fight ‘woke ideology.’ One student is enrolled  – State lawmakers mandated the center’s creation despite recent budget troubles at the university

Hey, what could go wrong?

Federal government proposes to lessen nuclear reactor environmental reviews

I saw this and thought it was worth sharing, even if it’s a bit hokey.

Hate To-Do lists? Tilt your perspective a bit and rename it a Get-To-Do list. So many times in life, we feel like we “have to” do something. But in reality, we don’t have to; we get to.

It might not seem like it makes a big difference to see
life as something you have to do versus get to do, but there is. A huge, magnificent difference.

This was a fun Twitter thread to read through. And his stats are interesting.

4 years ago my family of 6 saw all 50 states in 60 days to celebrate my daughter’s double lung transplant.

It was the best summer of my life.

Here’s our route, how we did it and how I’d do it better if I had the chance, either solo or as a family.

Copy me! Let’s go! 👇 pic.twitter.com/8QM9bu5Bmf

— Chris Koerner (@mhp_guy) July 2, 2026

I’m surprised that, as overweight as President Trump is, he hasn’t been taking any GLP-1 type of medication.

Also, I need to check if any of the prediction markets have odds on whether he wears a military uniform before the end of his term. I’m not talking about a flight suit like George W. Bush wore; I’m talking about some sort of decorative military outfit.

The Atlantic republishes JD Vance’s Trump op-ed from 2016

The Atlantic on Saturday republished Vice President Vance’s essay, originally published exactly 10 years ago on July 4, reviving some of the more biting comments Vance made about President Trump prior to becoming his second vice president.

In an editor’s note, the magazine said it was republishing the story “on the occasion of its tenth anniversary, so that our readers can judge for themselves how well his assessment of the man he now serves as vice president has stood the test of time.”

The original essay was written during Trump’s first presidential campaign while Vance worked at Peter Thiel’s venture capital firm, Mithril Capital Management.

Klyde Warren Park’s next phase: An ice rink and indoor pavilion

Klyde Warren Park is getting a two-story pavilion, a terrace overlooking the Dallas skyline and a lawn that will double as an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter.

Random factoids

• John Adams is being played by William Daniels, known by many as Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World, the voice of KITT on Knight Rider, and, for us older folks, a regular on St. Elsewhere.
• Despite the setting being Philadelphia, this was shot on the backlot of a Burbank studio in California. The fountain in the scene is the one in the Friends intro, even though many have mistaken it for the Cherry Hill Fountain. Actually, the fountain has been in a plethora of things you are familiar with. Here’s a secondary reference if you’re interested.

And to think I thought the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s staircase’s only tie to cinematic history was the Rocky films. But it was used to test out the first steady-cam two years before the release of the film.

Incredible test footage from 1974 of Garrett Brown’s industry changing invention, the Steadicam. pic.twitter.com/Lvijxkufu5

— All The Right Movies (@ATRightMovies) July 5, 2026

Hegseth recently unceremoniously booted the Army’s commander of its forces in Europe and Africa — who was famously the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan in 2021. That decision even divided his party (GOP lawmakers divided over Hegseth’s ouster of top Army commander).

You can tell he was loved and respected by those he commanded as well as by their families.

This is General Donahue and he was a four star General who was apparently pressured to resign from the Military because of Pete Hegseth’s ridiculous mismanagement of the Department of Defense. This is the loved he was shown as he was leaving his home . pic.twitter.com/QSKe4cVNpP

— Daily update (@newsupadte) July 5, 2026

The father of five had one heck of a military career.

Born on August 13, 1969, in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Donahue graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1992 and was commissioned as an Infantry officer. He holds a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College and completed an Army War College Fellowship at Harvard University.

Donahue deployed over 20 times, participating in operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya. His command history includes: 

• • Delta Force: Served in and commanded squadrons for the elite 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta. 
  • 82nd Airborne Division: Commanded the division during the final stages of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, where his iconic night-vision departure made headlines worldwide. 
  • XVIII Airborne Corps: Commanded the corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (2022–2024), overseeing early military coordination following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 
  • U.S. Army Europe and Africa: Confirmed as a four-star general, he took command of U.S. Army Europe and Africa in December 2024 

Awards & Recognition

Donahue’s awards include two Bronze Stars with “V” device for valor, among numerous other military decorations.

I’ve enthusiastically been enjoying HBO’s Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness. The last skit in the latest episode features the late, un-bearded Rob Reiner in his final screen appearance as George Washington. Here’s part of the skit, and here’s a language warning.

This clip, from Larry David’s new show “Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness” is one of his FUNNIEST ever.

Awesome to have Rob Reiner as George Washington in possibly one of his final on-screen performances.

Cameo by Kimmel is chef’s kiss.
RIP, Rob Reiner. pic.twitter.com/b7NSCB2P68

— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) July 5, 2026

All right Google, I’ll give this one to you. This is pretty great. pic.twitter.com/Phc0ZepQPU

— Megan Basham (@megbasham) July 3, 2026

And I, for one, am grateful. Most of the credit should go to Amy Hopfinger (read the article).

Why is everyone singing John Denver’s ‘Country Roads’ at the World Cup?

Denver did not write the song, and neither he nor the writers had ever been to West Virginia when it was created. The lyrics were inspired by a scenic drive along Clopper Road in Montgomery County, Maryland. “West Virginia” fit the four-syllable rhythm of the chorus much better.

A few interesting tidbits about John Denver, who, contrary to popular belief, is not full of crap.

• Born in Roswell, New Mexico.
• Birth name: Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.
• Country Roads is played after every West Virginia football home victory. Has Denver, who died in 1997, ever played the song at Mountaineer Field? You bet he did, when it opened on September 6, 1980.
  
• Huge Local Connection: His father was an Air Force pilot and was stationed at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas. Denver is a graduate of the geographically confusing Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth.
  • Aviation enthusiasts have recalled seeing John Denver flying his experimental, home-built aircraft out over Mineral Wells, Texas, years prior to his tragic fatal crash in 1997. But I can’t find any substantial source to back this claim.
• Denver attended Texas Tech University.
• His final concert was held in Corpus Christi, Texas, at the Selena Auditorium on October 5, 1997.
• We once sent him and Kermit the Frog to Moscow.
  
• Leaving on a Jet Plane is one of his most popular songs, and he left us by dying in a plane crash. Here’s a voice coach listening to the version he did with Mama Cass.
  
  But I’m also a sucker for these videos of younger generations listening to legendary or iconic songs for the first time, and seeing their reactions and hearing their thoughts. This girl just can’t conceive what life must have been like without being in constant contact with a friend or loved one, and she gets the significance of the song. Good for her. That part starts at the 3:18 mark.
  
• Dee Snyder of Twisted Sister regrets not having met John Denver and shaken his hand. The video should be queued to that section.
  

One thing I didn’t like about being a YouTubeTV subscriber is that I couldn’t find a plan that worked for me which included the History channel. I’ve forgotten how much I’ve missed it, being a history buff and all.

One of the shows I’ve enjoyed watching is World War II with Tom Hanks. One reason some folks might like it over other WWII documentaries is the commentary from the people who provide it. For instance, many history buffs love Dan Carlin‘s Hardcore History podcast. He’s featured quite a bit. You also see Max Brooks (son of Mel, and a former senior fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point) from time to time. I became familiar with him after reading his surprisingly informative and entertaining Zombie Survival Guide.

I was surprised to see a few Texas connections. For instance, Dr. Geoffrey Wawro of the University of North Texas is prominent, as is Dr. Jadwiga Biskupska of Sam Houston State University.

Of course, they have other notable and reputable professionals many of history buffs will be familiar with, such as Jon Meacham, General Wesley Clark, and Dan Snow.

It’s not every day you can get Texas A&M and the University of Texas to agree on something significant, but Senator Ted Cruz will often do that to people. I humbly admit I’m not very familiar with this bill, but offhand, I think I support it. As for this joint statement from the Aggies and Longhorns, I just wish they would have included something like, “And please do not attend any of our games, especially playoff and championship games, as it’s a known fact you bring nothing but bad luck when attending sporting events of Texas teams.

Texas A&M, Texas release joint statement to Ted Cruz opposing Protect College Sports Act

Sen. Maria Cantwell and Cruz co-authored the bill last month, which would introduce a one-time transfer rule and five-year eligibility clock for athletes. Coaches would be prevented from leaving midseason and it would ban professional players from playing college sports, including international professional athletes.

As of now, the five-for-five rule has been approved by the NCAA and will go fully into effect for the 2027-28 season. For the upcoming academic year, current athletes could apply the five-for-five or keep the old redshirt rules; whatever applies better for the athlete.

US Army gives chaplains 90 days to remove rank insignia

Plano Congressman Rep. Keith Self introduces resolution to repeal 17th Amendment

There’s no telling how much taxpayers are really paying for.

‘Rush Project at Request of POTUS’ – Money once used for crucial national-park repairs is now financing Trump’s redecorating projects.

And then there’s this:

Our Lt. Governor is just a huge embarrassment.

Dan Patrick thinks he found a loophole because the exact phrase “separation of church and state” isn’t in the Constitution. By that logic, “right to a fair trial” and “separation of powers” don’t matter either.

The First Amendment is clear: no established religion, no government…

— Karolis Stasiukenas 🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇦 (@Texas_Charles) June 26, 2026

The New York Times is expanding in Texas. 

It’s a big state, an economic powerhouse, a cultural force; the stories out of Texas have been of great interest to the national New York Times audience. So the idea of creating a Texas hub is to use the state as a way to explain the phenomena to come or that are already happening across the country through different societal lenses, whether that’s business, culture, religion or, of course, politics.

Other questions they answer that might be of interest to you:

• Texas looms large in American culture and politics. But there are distinct communities with particular approaches to civic life. How are we approaching those?
• How do you navigate perceptions that The Times doesn’t really understand Texas?
• What are some criticisms you hear about our Texas coverage, and how are you working to address them?
• Why is it important to have reporters living in the places they cover?