Up or down

Bill McRaven, the former University of Texas chancellor and retired admiral who led the raid on Osama bin Laden, responded to the decision to strip the clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan by telling President Trump via the Washington Post: “I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.” We’ll see if Trump savages the exNavy SEAL, who grew up in San Antonio, on Twitter, but we advise against hand-to-hand combat. Ideological division is still causing indigestion at El Tiempo Mexican restaurant after owner Roland Laurenzo posted a photo on social media with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. People who oppose the administration’s separation of migrant families called for protests and El Real Tex Mex Café mocked its rival on its marquee: “BRUNCH SESSIONS AT EL REAL ARE ALWAYS CAGE FREE AND FULL OF RAINBOWS.” On politics, Americans will never get along, so why don’t we all just … have a margarita? And maybe a side of green chile. It’sHatch Chile season. H-E-B is roasting the mild chile in parking lots of 47 of its Houston-area stores. Whole Foods plans to ship in more than 13,000 pounds of the delectable green daggers grown in New Mexico’s Hatch Valley. A lot of yum, and not a lot of heat — which is good because Houstonians sweat enough. Or do we? Honeywell Fans released its annual list of America’s Sweatiest Cities. Austin is No. 8 and Dallas is No. 4. But Houston didn’t make the cut. We could chalk it up to the questionable accuracy of a list announced along with a promotion for portable folding fans. Still, wouldn’t it be cool if Honeywell invented some Herculean sky fan that made Texas more hospitable? Then maybe our state wouldn’t have a chronic shortage of prison guards. The lack of air conditioning doesn’t just lead to stifling conditions for prisoners but also for guards who endure the heat in full uniform. Despite more than $9 million in bonuses, the prison system still reports more than 3,600 unfilled positions. No one has found the magic bullet. If that bullet exists, maybe it’s with Lupe Valdez’s Beretta 9mm. The pistol issued to the Democratic gubernatorial candidate when she was Dallas County sheriff is missing. Talk about a candidate who couldn’t shoot straight. Is it time to forgive Lakewood Church for not acting quicker to open as a shelter after Hurricane Harvey? Houston City Council honored the church for other efforts after the storm. Next time, though, if celebrity pastor Joel Osteen is uncertain about how to respond to disaster, he should consult a higher power: What would Mattress Mack do?