1 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: It's that time time time luck and load. The Michael 2 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: Berry Show is on the air. Oh a good Everyboddy. 3 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 2: This is my little Hamilton astros w again and a 4 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 2: good morning. 5 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: To the TZAR. Good morning Michael Berry. I'm all jaked 6 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: up on Mountain Dew. Good morning, Michael Berry. It's Seanton Connery. 7 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: But you had a little radio show video. I wasn't 8 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: in divind it. Good morning Michael Berry. Good morning, Michael Hello, 9 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: Hello are you there? Good morning you, Michaelberry. How you learned? 10 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: Did I read it to my monexcess moex morning car. 11 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 3: Text. We're happy. 12 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: About everything. 13 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 3: We're not worried. 14 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:35,839 Speaker 1: We got good morning. 15 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 2: Harris County District Clerk Marylyn Burgess is a Democrat. She's 16 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 2: on her way out. She has unloaded on her fellow 17 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 2: Democrats on the Lena and Rodney really Rodney led Commissioner's Court, 18 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 2: saying that those Democrats have undertaken a campaign to centralize 19 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: and expand their power or quote at the expense of efficiency, 20 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 2: accountability and independence. She also pointed out that some commissioners 21 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:14,959 Speaker 2: Ellis and Garcia use their multimillion dollar war chess to 22 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: fund down ballot races for candidates loyaled to them. 23 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: Quote. 24 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 2: You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. It's just the 25 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: way the county is run. Burgess says, as many of 26 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 2: you know, I have serious concerns about the direction of 27 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 2: the current Commissioner's Court. Their priorities are increasingly misplaced. She's 28 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: a Democrat, mind you. Rather than focusing on their core responsibilities, 29 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 2: they have pursued pet projects and expanded efforts to consolidate 30 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,959 Speaker 2: power time and again. Their actions reflect a push to 31 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: centralize control over county services, often at the expense of efficiency, accountability, 32 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 2: and independence. 33 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: She adds that fiscal control. 34 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: Commissioner's Court has over county departments and elected offices grants 35 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: them informal power that, she says, commissioner's leverage to influence 36 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 2: operations that on paper fall outside the authority of their position. 37 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: From the chronicle quote. 38 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:23,519 Speaker 2: The favoritism exhibited by commissioners to certain elected officials is 39 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 2: something Burgess said she had experienced firsthand, but it's not 40 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 2: just limited to the power of a particular office. Burgess 41 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 2: said that commissioners often use their multi billion dollar war 42 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 2: chest to fund down ballot races for candidates loyal to them. 43 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:42,119 Speaker 2: Parnell Davis, another candidate for district clerk and deputy chief 44 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 2: of staff for Garcia, received a five thousand dollars donation 45 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 2: from the Commissioner Garcia, according to Davis's January fifteenth campaign 46 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 2: finance report. Commissioner Rodney Ellens gave former judge Daryl Jordan's 47 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 2: campaign ten thousand dollars, according to his campaign finance report quote, 48 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 2: the bigger piece of it is that they are very 49 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 2: involved in electing those officials to their positions. You scratch 50 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 2: my back, I'll scratch yours. It's the way the county 51 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 2: is run back. In September, Burgess announced that she would 52 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 2: not be seeking reelection. Her announcement came after she was 53 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 2: criticized for pushing for a salary hike as a member 54 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 2: of the county's Salary Grievance Committee, an ad hoc body 55 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 2: comprised of residents and several elected officials assembled to assist 56 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 2: in adjudicating pay disputes for elected officials. Although Burgess sat 57 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 2: on the committee, she said she was asked to do so, 58 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 2: even after she pointed out she was among those who 59 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 2: filed a grievance. Well, she doesn't exactly sound like she 60 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 2: doesn't have any blood on her hands either. She sounds 61 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 2: like the sort of person that we end up with 62 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: at the County, but she is pointing out what's going 63 00:04:54,960 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: on with primarily Rodney Illis, but also Adrian Garcia, and 64 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:05,119 Speaker 2: it is sickening and it is sad. After nearly thirty 65 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 2: years anchoring the news in Houston, Sharon men Chow is 66 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 2: leaving KHOU next month after. 67 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 4: Nearly thirty years at KHOU. My last day at Channel 68 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 4: eleven will be on February the ninth. There have been 69 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 4: some other projects that I wanted to do but can't 70 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 4: while a full time employee here allant more on that later, 71 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 4: but right now, I just want to take a moment 72 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 4: to say thank you. Thank you for tuning in all 73 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 4: of these years. When I started, it was just on TV. 74 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 4: Now it's on social media, it's digital and online. It 75 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 4: has been a privilege to meet many of you in person, 76 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 4: many of you online, and to share your stories. I 77 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 4: hope you'll keep in touch here on the Insta face. 78 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 4: I really love hearing from you all, and social media 79 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 4: is a great way to do that. Right now, though, 80 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 4: I just want to take a second to say thank you. 81 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 4: Reporting has been truly a great joy of my life, 82 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 4: and I want to say thank you to you for 83 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 4: allowing me the chance to do that. 84 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 1: So for now, show and as always, stay tuned. Thirty 85 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,479 Speaker 1: years a long time. That's a heck of a run. 86 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: And I maintain that it is harder for a woman 87 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 2: than a man when you look at longevity in the 88 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 2: anchor's seat, because we expect a certain amount, if not attractiveness, 89 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 2: of presentability. You may not have to be a beauty queen, 90 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 2: but you do have to be attractive, and that's hard 91 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 2: to do over a long period of time. And I 92 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 2: don't think we like to watch a woman age in 93 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 2: the anchor's chair, whereas we don't mind it all for men. 94 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 2: Dave Ward, Steve Smith, what's our friend? That was the 95 00:06:58,800 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 2: Vietnam veteran? 96 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 5: Uh? 97 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: Bill By? Yes? 98 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 5: Uh? Uh? 99 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: What was the guy's name? It at Fox? 100 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 5: My? Uh? 101 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 3: What? 102 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: Jose gregnon yep? Also Cuban? Who was uh Jose Grignon? 103 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 3: And who? 104 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: But who was Mike Hispanic guy? 105 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 5: Uh? 106 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: What was his name? 107 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 5: What? 108 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 3: No? 109 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: Not Scott Mike? What was that fella's name? Might not 110 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: have been Mike. I thought it was I'm trying to 111 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: think of. 112 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 5: It. 113 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it was him and Melissa Wilson. Yeah, 114 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 2: I'll think of it in a minute. Growing up, I 115 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 2: only ever knew one anchor team, and that was Larry 116 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 2: Bowl you and Cecilia. Sorry Larry Bowl, you and cecil Burant. 117 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: And I think they had Greg Bostwick on Weather And 118 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 2: I saw a post yesterday and I followed up on 119 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 2: it with the with an exchange. Greg Bostwick is still 120 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 2: in Beaumont doing Tell. And now think about this, I'm 121 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 2: fifty five and this was the last time I would 122 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 2: have watched that. 123 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: It's probably forty years ago. It's a pretty good run 124 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: right there. 125 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 2: So congratulations to Sherin Minshew. I always thought she was 126 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 2: a very very classy person as an individual. 127 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 4: I like her. 128 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: Please Tash can rolling around. 129 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 5: Damn it? 130 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: All right, this is Mark Chestnut. Enjoy the czar of 131 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: talk radio. Mike Barrojas. 132 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: That's why I couldn't run. Mike Barrajas. Well, Marilyn Burgess, 133 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 2: that has blown the whistle on Rodney Ellison. Adrian Garcia 134 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 2: is no saint herself, used some Police Officers Union tweeted. 135 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 2: Marilyn Burgess has proposed that jurors not be allowed to 136 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 2: donate their jury pay as you may know because the 137 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 2: jury is so low. It used to be six bucks, 138 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 2: and I think they increased it to twelve bucks. And 139 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,839 Speaker 2: the comical thing there was that I think when it 140 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:10,599 Speaker 2: was six bucks, it was eight bucks to park, so 141 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 2: they didn't even pay you enough to cover your parking. Well, 142 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 2: a lot of people would choose rather than take it, 143 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 2: you know, feel good, just donate it to this. These 144 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 2: are the places that she proposed that you not be 145 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 2: allowed to donate it. The one hundred club, which is 146 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 2: when people are severe, when people are killed in a 147 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 2: line of duty, that's what pays off their house note 148 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 2: and helps the family. AWFC one. I don't know what 149 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 2: that is, at least not by their Twitter handle. Crime Stoppers. 150 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 2: She don't want you give the money to crime stoppers. 151 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 2: Houston Habitat Inner Faith Ministries, K nine's for cops. This 152 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,199 Speaker 2: this woman is a real doozy Marilyn Burgess. 153 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: Wow. I'm not saying she should. 154 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 2: Drive you into the arms of Rodney Ellis, but what 155 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 2: a bunch of scoundrels and rascals they have down there. 156 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 2: Leslie Brionis has been in office for three years since 157 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 2: Rodney jerrymandered deceat and took it from Cactushack Kegle. So 158 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,599 Speaker 2: whereas you had a three to two Democrat majority on 159 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 2: Commissioner's court, that flipped it to four to one, and 160 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 2: he pretty much puppeteers Leslie Brioni's she has a couple 161 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 2: of times, uh exercise a little independence, but not with 162 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 2: regard to Rodney, only with regard to Lena, because they 163 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 2: despise Lena. Well, she's been in office I think three 164 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 2: years now. Guess how much cash on hand she has 165 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 2: in her campaign on three years County Commissioner take guests. 166 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 2: Not three million, although that is an insanely high amount 167 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 2: of money for having been in office for three years, 168 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 2: four point three million dollars. Ninety nine percent of campaigns 169 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 2: in America will start and finish without ever raising much 170 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 2: less having on hand unspent four point three million dollars. 171 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 2: State reps, probably state senator races, they don't get four 172 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 2: point three men. 173 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: That is a that is a pile of cash. Let 174 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: me tell you what that is without looking. 175 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:26,439 Speaker 2: I'm going to say this so I'm not in any 176 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,839 Speaker 2: way throw in shade, as they used to say a 177 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 2: few years ago, on anybody in particular, because I haven't 178 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 2: looked at her at who her donors are. 179 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: But I'll tell you who I suspect. They are. 180 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 2: People doing business with the county, which is a bribe. 181 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 2: So they give her a bunch of money. She makes 182 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,959 Speaker 2: sure they get their contracts. And I'll bet you if 183 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 2: you take a look, you will find engineering firms, janitorial firms. 184 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 2: You will find the companies that are doing business with 185 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 2: the county, either in her precinct or county wide. 186 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: And that's what they do and throw the cash at them. 187 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 2: This is why I saw an article yesterday from one 188 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,959 Speaker 2: of the it wasn't Texas score Card, it with somebody else, 189 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 2: but it said, let's check in on who's raising money 190 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 2: and who's so we'll know who's building support for their 191 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 2: campaigns for the primary. Those two are not necessarily inextricable, 192 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 2: or those two are in it. Those two are extricable. 193 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 2: A double negative hit me hard many times. 194 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 1: It is the case. 195 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 2: Let's take Greg Abbott. Greg Abbott raises a pile of cash. 196 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 2: Greg Abbott' support among the base I don't believe is 197 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 2: very strong. But Mickael, he keeps winning. Never has anybody 198 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 2: run against him, not anybody that raises any money, not 199 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 2: anybody who gets out there, and I'd love to see 200 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 2: Chambers beat him. I love to see Chambers shell ack him. 201 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 2: But I don't think Chambers are raising much money. And 202 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 2: when I see a candidate running for statewide office that's 203 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 2: doing so in a pickup truck that he's driving himself 204 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 2: around and showing up at speeches, I love the spirit, 205 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 2: don't get me wrong, but I've never in my lifetime 206 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 2: seeing a candidate win on that basis. It'd be great 207 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 2: if you did. And there's a there's a certain amount 208 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 2: of people that chew through Ireland. He's got William Michael, 209 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 2: he's out working well, yeah, he's in more places than ambit. 210 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: But when you show up in Pascahoula County, that's not 211 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 1: real remonte. 212 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 2: When when you show up in jim Webb County and 213 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 2: you're at the Low's t O's restaurant there and there's 214 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 2: eight people and you sit for three hours and feel 215 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 2: real good about you what you've done. I admire your tenacity, 216 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 2: don't get me wrong, I do. But if you understand 217 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 2: the numbers game that is the governor's office, you've got 218 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 2: to be You've got to be able to compete in 219 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 2: mass media. 220 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: Our state is simply too big to drive. 221 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 2: This isn't the Iowa caucus where you're having a tea 222 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 2: in someone's living room, and that's You've got to be 223 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 2: able to get up on the air, and if you can't, 224 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 2: you can't win. 225 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: It's just the way it is. 226 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: And I know there's always that person out there that 227 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 2: usually live in Cleveland or Huffman. 228 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: I don't know why, and they'll even Michael, you shouldn't 229 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: say that we're working our tails off win this race. 230 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: Were gonna beat Greg Abbott and Doc Chambers is a 231 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: good man. All those are true. I'm not saying they're not. 232 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 2: But I just I cannot keep indulging this, this fanciful 233 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 2: notion that we're gonna run a grassroots campaign. 234 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: In a truck and by the way, well no, no, 235 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna run. 236 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 2: A grassroots campaign in a truck and drive all over 237 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 2: like it's nineteen thirty eight. You've got to be able 238 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 2: to get a message out because you can't meet all 239 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 2: the people. You don't understand the numbers, how big they are. Anyway, 240 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 2: so Greg Abbott wins, you know, he ducks the debates, 241 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 2: doesn't do the debates. Somebody told me the other day 242 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 2: that Pascale Kaine's not doing the debates. I don't know, 243 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 2: I'm checked on it, but he doesn't do the debates. 244 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 2: Feels like he doesn't have to. He doesn't want to 245 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 2: get in front of you and give you a chance 246 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 2: to make a media moment, So he just ducks the 247 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 2: debates and spends a lot of money. But you look 248 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 2: at that comptroller's race that New HUF finds is up 249 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 2: forty percent. Abbot's candidate Kelly Hancoff's in third at seven percent. 250 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 2: Cold weather swooping its way through Texas, and we here 251 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 2: in Houston, and I'm gonna go ahead and tell you, 252 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 2: I know y'all are gonna laugh. If you know our 253 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 2: New Yorkers, our East Coast folks, our Chicago folks, our Iowa, Kansas, 254 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 2: you know y'all have real cold weather. Hell, all you 255 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 2: Yankees are gonna laugh, the ones in Dallas, the ones 256 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 2: in Oklahoma, all you Northerners as we call y'all. But 257 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 2: it doesn't get cold in Houston, and when it does, 258 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 2: we freak out because we don't know what to do. 259 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 2: It's like you remember in Florida a few years ago, 260 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 2: they the big debate was whether they had snowplows. 261 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: You remember that ramon. 262 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 2: So it's a big deal when it gets cold here. 263 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 2: And so we always laugh on the show because every 264 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 2: year it never snows. Just you know, when I was 265 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 2: a kid growing up in Southeast Texas, I always wanted snow. 266 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 2: It never snows, And we did have snow a few 267 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 2: years ago, and it was the snow apocalypse. 268 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,320 Speaker 1: It was the end of the world. Everybody was gonna die. 269 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 2: And it's funny because people in the Northeast when they 270 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 2: see how our folks were behaving, they're laughing, going like, 271 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 2: I wear shorts out in that weather. 272 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: What are y'all doing? So anyway, the weather reports every 273 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: year they'll say, you know, here's the weather, and they'll 274 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: do the Arctic. You know, they'll have the snow dripping down. 275 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: And then everybody told me, ah, bring the animals in. 276 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: It's a big deal. And they'll say, and there's there's 277 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: a chance of snow. 278 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 2: This is true in Houston. There's a chance of snow 279 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 2: on Sunday. So we want to repeat that there's a 280 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:10,160 Speaker 2: chance of snow, because apparently everybody dies if there's snow, 281 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 2: and and they do you know, the news can no 282 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 2: longer just be the news. They have to act like 283 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 2: they're improving your life. 284 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:19,719 Speaker 5: Right. 285 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 2: That's why what used to be money tips or finance 286 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 2: tips are now your money like they're here to help you. 287 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: Everything they do is design. We love you and we're 288 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: here to help you. It's your traffic, it's your weather 289 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,679 Speaker 1: you got, We're helping you prepare. You can't live without us. 290 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:37,879 Speaker 1: We love you. It's so silly, but that's what they do. 291 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 2: So when there is the chance of snow, it's five percent, 292 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 2: I think it is it five percent wrong. 293 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: There's a five percent chance. 294 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:49,360 Speaker 2: Of snow in Houston this weekend on one day, which 295 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 2: means it's not going to snow, but that way everybody. 296 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 1: So all anybody's talking about is snow. And let me 297 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:54,880 Speaker 1: tell you something. 298 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 2: If you want to watch something funny, watch a Houston broadcast, 299 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,640 Speaker 2: Houston local news broadcast this week and hear them talk 300 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,400 Speaker 2: about snow in Houston, because snow in Houston is going 301 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,719 Speaker 2: to be the end of the there is and then 302 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 2: the snow never comes, and miraculously it always ends up 303 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 2: being seventy five degrees and so all this hullabaloo and 304 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:21,240 Speaker 2: nothing ends up happening today's top story. 305 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 3: Massive snowstorms blanket much of the country, and more is 306 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,719 Speaker 3: expected in the coming days. White out conditions stretching over 307 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 3: two thousand miles from Texas to May. Frigid temperatures causing 308 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 3: freezing rain and ice, downing trees and power lines from more. 309 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: On this colossal storm. 310 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 2: We go to our reporter Brent Rodriguez Gonzalez, braving this 311 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 2: mess down in Houston, Texas. 312 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 1: Brent, how are you coping? 313 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 6: Yes, Bill, We're hanging in there. The temperature is dipping 314 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 6: to a brutal thirty seven degrees. Forecasters are warning the 315 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 6: temperatures may drop even more and the sky will open 316 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 6: up and dump a quarter inch of snow, paralyzing the 317 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 6: city of Hume. Local officials are urging people to hunker 318 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:08,440 Speaker 6: down and please wrap your pipes. Let me repeat, wrap 319 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 6: your pipes. Bring in your pets, let them sleep in 320 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 6: bed with you, Put a sweater on them. Go into 321 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 6: the attic and find the winter coat that you have 322 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 6: from the ski trip a few years back. 323 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: I can't feel my fingers. 324 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 6: Five pairs of socks will be mandatory. 325 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: I need my snuggie. 326 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 6: All area schools will be closed thirty seven degrees is 327 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 6: way too cold to have your child walk from the 328 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 6: car to the front of the school. Did I forget 329 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 6: to tell you to wrap your pipes? 330 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: Wid Being that. 331 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 6: We're in Texas, you won't find tire chains at the 332 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 6: local auto parts store, so go ahead and rip down 333 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 6: your kid's swing set and use the chains from that. 334 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 6: The big one is coming. Local Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee 335 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 6: is holding a press conference today to urge you Stonians 336 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:57,479 Speaker 6: to stay warm. 337 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: Must I die? Must I die? 338 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,360 Speaker 6: If we survived this storm, you will need to wake 339 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 6: up at two thirty in the morning in order to 340 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,440 Speaker 6: get to work with your snowshoes. 341 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 1: My earmuffs go. 342 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 6: But I wouldn't leave the house for a week if 343 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 6: I didn't have to make sure you wrap your pipes. 344 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 6: People are really losing their minds. 345 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 1: Here, so I'm going to have to go. 346 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 6: This is Prent Rodriguez Gonzalez reporting from the frozen tundra, Houston, 347 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 6: Texas and now back to New York. 348 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 2: Free So I got an email for someone just said, Hey, 349 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,639 Speaker 2: here's what I do instead of wrapping my pipes. I 350 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:38,679 Speaker 2: use a product called Freezemeser, and there was a picture 351 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 2: of it. I didn't know what freeze Meser was I'm 352 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,639 Speaker 2: not a very mechanical person. I'm a very technical person. 353 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 2: I say that expecting you to laugh at me. 354 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 1: You should. I can't fix anything. I can't do anything. 355 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,120 Speaker 1: I don't do anything. I talk on the air. 356 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 2: Uh, my education, if you will, my reading, my interest, 357 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 2: My passion was the law. I love the law well, 358 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 2: I love politics. I love learning about things, and I 359 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 2: love learning about people who are mechanical. And I'm so 360 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 2: grateful for people who build things and create things and 361 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 2: fix things and solve problems using spring loaded this and 362 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,400 Speaker 2: you know products that we use in our lives, which 363 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 2: is left to me. 364 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: You would never have done that. 365 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 2: So I heard from listeners, Hey, you ought to get 366 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 2: a freeze miser. So I started asking around Ramo and 367 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 2: I we're talking about I started making phone calls to 368 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 2: people I respect and plumbers, and they all said, yeah, 369 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 2: it's a great product. So I mentioned it on the 370 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 2: air and I got this was earlier this morning. I 371 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:45,679 Speaker 2: got a I got emails from listeners saying I use 372 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 2: the freeze Miser. It's fantastic. So I'm looking at this 373 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 2: thing and the best I can tell you screw it 374 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 2: into the spigot. So you know, we've got these faucets 375 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 2: around the exterior of our house. Most of us do, 376 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 2: and we might might put a hoe, might screw a 377 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,880 Speaker 2: hose into that. That's I think probably the most common 378 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 2: thing that took to water the lawn. And even if 379 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:11,200 Speaker 2: you have an irrigation system, you need a hose to 380 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 2: hose stuff down. So you got these pigots. But the 381 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 2: problem is when it gets cold, then the water freezes cracks. 382 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 2: That's when you have pipe problems. So I was looking 383 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 2: at this thing, it's only thirty bucks, and I was 384 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 2: asking Ramona, how does that work? Because I assumed, being 385 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 2: the idiot I am, that it must warm up and 386 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 2: that way the water wouldn't freeze, because I'm not very 387 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,920 Speaker 2: smart in technical things. As I said, Well, come to 388 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 2: find out, it's a drip technology. And so I guess 389 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 2: you turn the water on and it lets a steady 390 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 2: drip out, so you don't have just a continuous flow 391 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:51,960 Speaker 2: of water that runs your bill up and floods the place. 392 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 2: But you get enough of a drip. You know, you 393 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 2: turn your water on to drip. Everybody knows this to 394 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 2: keep your pipe from freezing. But your external pipe is 395 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 2: exposed like your fingers or your ears in the cool weather. 396 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 2: So come to find out there is something manufactured in America. 397 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:14,679 Speaker 2: There is America, no how, and this company's called Freezemeister. 398 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 2: So I spent the day making calls and asking people. 399 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 2: The reason it came up is I have a show 400 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 2: sponsor in Houston called Ace Hardware Texas and it's the 401 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 2: different Ace hardwarees and the owners were emailing me. 402 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: I said, what's your best product? What do you sell 403 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 1: the most of. 404 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 2: When it's cold outside like this, when there's snow coming, 405 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 2: And they said, to freeze Meser. Everyone's coming to the Freezemeser. 406 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:41,439 Speaker 2: So anyway, I tracked the company down there in South Texas. 407 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 2: They're actually near San Antone. They're called South Texas. I 408 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 2: don't really consider that South Texas, but anyway, and I 409 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 2: have one of their top officials on the phone, and 410 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,119 Speaker 2: I thought would be fun to have a conversation about 411 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 2: something that's made in America that works, it's not overly expensive. 412 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:59,199 Speaker 2: So we'll talk to the national sales director of freeze Miser, 413 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:01,359 Speaker 2: which I just about today coming up. 414 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 1: America is a nation that can be defined in a 415 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: single word. I was gonna foot him nine not only 416 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: was it authentic, Frontier jibbery Fit expressed their courage that 417 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:14,880 Speaker 1: scene at this day and the Michael Berry Show. 418 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 2: Jeff Eubula is the national sales director of a little 419 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 2: family owned company that started a little sideline product that 420 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 2: has taken off and it's a product you can put 421 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 2: on your spigot. 422 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: You can get it at Ace Hardware Texas dot com. 423 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:32,200 Speaker 1: You can get it at a lot of places. 424 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 2: But they're a show sponsor and I like them and 425 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 2: I love the concept because I don't know if you 426 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 2: know the deal, but Ace Hardware Texas dot com is 427 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 2: a website for the Ace hardwarees that support our show. 428 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 2: But the concept behind Ace Hardware is if you've ever 429 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 2: thought to yourself, well, Walmart came in and put all 430 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 2: of the Bob's Hardware and Susie's Hardware and Thompson Family 431 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 2: Hardware out of business, and not only hardware, the small 432 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 2: gift shops, electrical shops, barbecue pit shops, gardening shops, bird 433 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:03,439 Speaker 2: feed shops. So these families that wanted a family run business, 434 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 2: they went to Ace Hardware and said, you know, Ace 435 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 2: Hardware does the buying for you. 436 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: That's how their model works. 437 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 2: So otherwise, you know, home depot might buy a hammer 438 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:16,880 Speaker 2: for a dollar and you got to pay six dollars 439 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 2: for it. Well, you can't stay in business because the 440 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 2: consumer says, you're charging me six dollars and twenty cents 441 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 2: for this hammer, and you know, yeah, I'm only making 442 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 2: twenty cents, but the home depot makes five dollars and 443 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,399 Speaker 2: twenty cents. You can't compete. So small businesses had to 444 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:34,120 Speaker 2: kind of pool together. It's like building a militia when 445 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 2: the Red coats are invading. You all got to pitch 446 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 2: in together because if I'm defending my farm and you're 447 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,959 Speaker 2: defending yours, we're all going to get plowed over. So anyway, 448 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 2: I sent my assistant Emily to Ace Hardware today and 449 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:48,200 Speaker 2: she picked up six of them and it's the easiest 450 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 2: thing in the world. And I thought it was extremely cool. 451 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 2: But I loved the small American business solving a problem angle, 452 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:58,160 Speaker 2: and I asked them to join us for a minute. 453 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 2: So Jeff Ubola tell me, first of all, the freeze 454 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 2: miser was not as I understand that y'all are a railroad. 455 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:07,879 Speaker 1: What do y'all do as your primary business? 456 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 5: Well, the primary business was Pat Baker company which worked 457 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 5: the train derailments, and they expanded the business to do 458 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 5: something else besides the train wrecking business and started pat 459 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 5: Baker Products, which consisted of a product called a micro 460 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 5: sweeper which is mainly used in the cattle industry, and 461 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 5: that works below the surface of the water and it 462 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 5: keeps ice from ever forming in the water tank. And 463 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 5: so what they did is they took that same technology 464 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 5: and developed the freeze Miser back in twenty seventeen. And 465 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 5: initially it was rolled out for faucet protection, so it 466 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 5: protects all your exterior water faucets and a supply line 467 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 5: in the walls. And that's one of the main things, 468 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 5: right is we've had these styrofoam faucet covers forever and 469 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 5: that's all they are is a cover, well the freeze 470 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 5: miser protectionally your fawcet, but that supply line in the 471 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 5: wall up to hundred and fifty feet. But along in 472 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 5: those lines, we found out that the freeze Miser can 473 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 5: be utilized on many different things other than the exterior fuscets. 474 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,439 Speaker 5: So that's one being one of them. The other one 475 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 5: being you can put them one hundred and fifty foot 476 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:14,879 Speaker 5: of water hose where it protects the water hose and 477 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 5: this stigot from freezing. So you have folks that have 478 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 5: animals that need to water. They're animals a year round, 479 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 5: and they're tired of draining the hoses every time they 480 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 5: get done using them and roll them up and bring 481 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:25,640 Speaker 5: them in the house. Now they put the freeze miser 482 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:27,399 Speaker 5: in the water hose and it keeps the hose from 483 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 5: freezing up as well. Then you get the ranchers that 484 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:32,200 Speaker 5: put them on top of their float ballots for their 485 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 5: water tanks for the cattle, and that keeps them of 486 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:36,359 Speaker 5: them ever having to shut the water off and it 487 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 5: drips thirty seven degree water in the tank and they 488 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 5: an't to bust hardly an the ice. And then we 489 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 5: found out it also works on RV, So you have 490 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 5: folks that use their RVs during the winter time. They 491 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:49,200 Speaker 5: can go spend one hundred and thirty dollars on a 492 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 5: heated hose, or they can spend thirty dollars on a 493 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 5: freeze miser and twelve dollars on a WI valve and 494 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 5: they have water through their RV without having to use electricity. 495 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 5: Another utilization we found out is pressure switch is on 496 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 5: your water wheels, so if you get folks out in 497 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:03,879 Speaker 5: the rural areas that have to use heat lamps to 498 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 5: keep the pressure switches from freezing up, you use a 499 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 5: freeze MisOr and you don't have to use electricity. So 500 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,639 Speaker 5: we ended up finding out there's all these other benefits 501 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 5: and uses that the freeze miser can be used on. 502 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:17,399 Speaker 5: It are currently being used. So over the course of 503 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 5: you know, eight years, we've found all these other applications 504 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 5: that they can be used on as well, So. 505 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 2: That is fascinating. I want to go back you started. 506 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 2: Your first answer was that you're in the train wrecking business. 507 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 2: And I read that when I was doing background search 508 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 2: on y'all, and I had to look it up because 509 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 2: you both use that term, and it says a train 510 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 2: wrecking business refers to specialize railroad contractors who provide emergency response, 511 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 2: recovery and clean up for train derailments and other rail accidents. 512 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: I've never heard the term train wrecking business ever. 513 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, yeah, And it was started by you know, 514 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 5: there's brother two brothers, Steve and David Baker, whose grandfather 515 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 5: started that company back I believe in the forties, and 516 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 5: they had two divisions, one in Kingsbury, Texas. An other 517 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 5: one was actually in Houston, and uh, they've been in 518 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 5: that for forever and they decided to expand, you know, 519 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 5: do something, try to do something else, which was the 520 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 5: Freezemiser in the in the microsweeper, to have another part 521 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 5: of that business, a different type of business, I should say. 522 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 2: So, yeah, stringth in this This had nothing to do 523 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 2: with the train wrecking business. They just got tired of 524 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 2: their their their faucets bursting or what what was it. 525 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, you know, David's not around to talk about this 526 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 5: right now, but uh, yeah, it's just something they wanted 527 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 5: to you know, they were focused on the train business. 528 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 5: They thought it would it was it would be nice 529 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:58,240 Speaker 5: to try to have something else besides the train business 530 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 5: wrecking business. So David kind of spun off of the 531 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 5: train making business and focused on developing the micro sweeper 532 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 5: that they've been working on. Him and another guy, Robert Doolan, 533 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 5: who is the chief engineer behind it, and they worked 534 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 5: side by side developing those products as another business opportunity 535 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 5: other than a train record business. 536 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: And how has this business done for y'all? Oh? 537 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 5: The twenty twenty armageddon that we had here in the 538 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 5: state of Texas. Once that happened in twenty twenty, it 539 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 5: kind of started growing and leaps and bounds year over year. 540 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 5: And so since that, you know, our business has greatly expanded. 541 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 1: Well, I think we must send that assistant. 542 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 2: I sent my assistant to ACE Hardware, and I think 543 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 2: she bought I don't know the exact number, but she 544 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 2: counted on my house and on our studios. I think 545 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 2: she counted twelves bigots all in because there's there's properties 546 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 2: that have buildings on them, and she and I said, 547 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 2: put it on every one of them, and then it 548 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 2: was twelve of them. So obviously, once somebody knows about it, 549 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 2: if they want it, then they're gonna buy a whole 550 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 2: lot of them. And what I loved was this product 551 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 2: is completely American made, right, yes. 552 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:24,360 Speaker 5: Sir, They're made in Kingsbury, Texas. And all the parts 553 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 5: are sourced in the US, from the brass to the 554 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 5: casings that's in Austin, and the brass is out of 555 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 5: San Antonio. And we have another local machine shop right 556 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 5: down the road from us that makes our plugs in 557 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 5: our rods that we put into the Freezemeser, and all 558 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 5: of them are machines that we use were made by 559 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:48,760 Speaker 5: Robert Doolan, who's our chief engineer for a company. So 560 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:53,000 Speaker 5: he's developed machines as well. So the employee right at 561 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 5: about seventeen people that worked day in, five days a week, 562 00:31:58,880 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 5: making them year round. 563 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: I love this. You know what I love. 564 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 2: I tell you when I give speeches. I tell business 565 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 2: people who are looking to transition careers. I tell businesses 566 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 2: who are starting up. I tell young people coming out 567 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 2: of school. Solve people's problems. Don't worry about what you're making, 568 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 2: how much money you can make, how much you can charge. 569 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:21,280 Speaker 1: Solve people's problem. This is a solution to a problem, 570 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 1: and therefore there is a market for it. I love it. 571 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 2: Jeff Yubil, I'm up against the clock. You are awesome. 572 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 2: It is called the Freeze Miser s E. Or you 573 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 2: can find it online or if you email me, I'll 574 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 2: connect you to I just love these stories, and I 575 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 2: love telling them, and I love hearing them.