The irony is that Waco has turned into somewhat of a boom-town in the years prior to the fiasco. That couple on TV who flip houses enticed that area into a hot sweat. That and the combination of some of the cheapest housing in Texas and low taxes drew quite a few people in from DFW and Austin.
Waco is just a big-ass flat rock sitting on a riverbank.
I forgot to add; I think the author was trying to channel Molly Ivins.