March 14, 2010
Oh, yeah... welcome, new people.
It's once again time for SXSW so to all you new people, welcome. Please be kind to the natives as they may bite. Either that or they'll take your mobile from you and beat you with it. And please, under-fucking-stand that the 3G problems you're having are all AT&T, not because you're in Austin. If you just have to make an important call and your connection sounds like it's being filtered through a fish tank, take your network mode down to 2G. If you don't know how, meet me at Red's Porch on S Lamar today at 7:30 because I want to berate you for being a nebbish in front of your goddamn staff.
AND YES, WE ALL HATE AT&T.
For those of us natives wondering why the fuck we keep doing this, apparently there is a pretty big economic impact from SXSW. Well, not huge in comparison to the regional economy but decent... around $100mn annually. Of course, no one bothers to discover how much is spent by natives to deal with the inconvenience of SXSW. I can calculate my losses from yesterday alone which came to $12. Multiply that by 200k people and pretty soon we're talking about not much money.
So, whine away if you must or, if you can, avoid going north or south (depending on where you live) for a few days. For the rest of us, there's Ed Bluestein and CapTex since they seem to have discovered MoPac.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 18, 2010
So, Who Was This Douchebag?
Of course, this story is still breaking news, but it appears that Joseph Andrew Stack, the man who apparently crashed a small plane into a North Austin office building housing, among other tenants, the IRS, was one of those lunatics who spent considerable time and effort looking for "loopholes" in the law and convinced himself that he was exempt from paying taxes. He posted a rambling manifesto attempting to justify his twisted reasoning that read like Alex Jones dissecting the global conspiracy that screwed up his order at Starbucks. In the days to come some may try to understand, sympathize with, even justify the actions of this arsonist, this murderer, this terrorist. I won't be one of them. Fuck you Joe, and fuck the enablers and ideologues of our domestic terror movement.
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 02:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 02, 2010
Aw Jeez
UT Jefe Bill "Leatherface" Powers sees shadow, decrees six more weeks of whining about demise of Cactus Cafe.
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 02:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Gee, Ken, you seem to have missed something
Ken Herman, being the remarkably astute commentator that he wants everyone to think he is, has come across something that is, well, truly shocking.
SOMETIMES CAMPAIGNS SAY MEAN
THINGS ABOUT THEIR OPPONENTS
(ESPECIALLY DURING PRIMARIES) AND
AFTER THEY KISS AND MAKE UP
I know this revelation may come as a shock to people who aren't over the age of 6, but to the rest of us it's kinda par for the course. Ken, being enterprising, made it the meat of an entire column. And even used a quote from yours truly. What he left out were some even juicier quotes from a guy who recently went to work for someone he spent time criticizing. So, in an effort to help Ken out, here's some of the funny...
“Jason Stanford, spokesman for Democrat Chris Bell's campaign, is not impressed – and he doesn't think voters are either. "I haven't heard anyone saying he'd be a great governor," he says. "I think that he's a funny candidate and a hell of an author, but no one comes up [to me] and says, 'If we could only get Kinky Friedman into the governor's office.'" GOP strategist Miller says that Friedman will certainly attract welcome extra attention to the race but agrees that he's facing an uphill battle. "Initially, my view was that Kinky Friedman [would be] treated with humor, and treated lightly, unless and until he gets traction," he says. And Friedman's unlikely to get any traction the way he's campaigning now, says Stanford. "He hasn't gone any farther than to say, 'Hey, look at this!'" he says. In short, he says, Friedman is long on one-liners and short on any meaningful policy positions. "The easy part is convincing people [that Perry has] done a bad job," he says. "Step two is that you've got to convince voters that you know how to do better. And no one is really expecting that from Kinky Friedman."” Austin Chronicle
So he was incompetent then, but now he's suddenly competent? Any chance that change, which only you perceive, is because he's now writing you a check?
Bell campaign consultant Jason Stanford shakes off his candidate's failed run against Perry, muddied as the field was by the populist independent campaigns of Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn. "There was a pervasive confusion about that race, but the issue was simple: If Democrats had voted for the Democrat, Chris Bell would be the governor," he argued. Austin Chronicle
So Kinky's to blame for Bell's loss? Or the voters?
Ken doesn't get into any of that which, in my opinion, is far more interesting. He also doesn't ask why Kinky's acting like he's never asked Farouk for money, even after he took more than $1.3 million through 2009 from Farouk and his business partner. He does ask why Shami would care about the race for Commissioner of Agriculture since he's a hair magnate. I guess Ken missed that Shami owns three ranches where he grows produce (olives, for one) that's used in the CHI organic line. Maybe that's why he's got an interest in supporting a competent candidate this time around.
Life's full of entirely too much, well, crap. Why is it so surprising to some that even the deadliest of political enemies can forge alliances once they realize they actually have a lot in common? Just look at Bob Bullock vs. everyone else at one time or another.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:57 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 11, 2010
I've been to all these places (except Qua)
Ever wonder which bars our drunks patronized just before their DWI arrest? Thanks to Austin PD, we have some answers.
I have my last drinks (plural, always plural) at many of these places BEFORE I GET IN A CAB. Because I don't want to be a statistic or a picture in that awful BUSTED newspaper.
Posted by mcblogger at 07:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 08, 2010
Dell to release shitty phone
Dell wants badly to be thought of as a maker of quality consumer electronics. Anyone remember that POS jukebox they put out a few years ago?
Posted by mcblogger at 09:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 19, 2009
Fatback to run against Rep. Donna Howard
Dan Neil, a former lineman for the Horns and the Denver Broncos, is now a salesman for a manufacturing firm. He'd also like to be the Republican candidate in HD 48 running against Representative Donna Howard in the 2010 general election.
Now, I'll give $50 cash to the first person who can give me a reasonable explanation as to why he's decided to run against Rep. Howard and what, exactly, would make him a better Representative for HD 48. Remember, it has to be reasonable.
This has the distinctive reek of a do-over of Ben 'Douche' Bentzin, without the millions. And the powerwashing nanny.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:27 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 30, 2009
40k? For that jackass?
So, the nasty old lady who refused to cooperate with a Travis County Constable is suing the county for her pain and suffering. Here's the footage...
The old bitch WAS being argumentative and belligerent. The officer was trying to ARREST her, she resisted and rather than break her hip or arm in what was clearly going to become a physical confrontation, he tased her. Not excessively or abusively. This is one of those instances where the whole thing was completely justified and the officer wasn't even being a dick which, for those of us who get to regularly see officers in our rear view, it was kind of unusual for Austin which is populated with a lot of dicks in law enforcement. Seriously, some of you guys need to dial down the aggression.
But back to Granny I'm-Getting-Back-In-My-Car ... the Travis County Commissioner's Court is giving her $40k? NO FUCKING WAY. Do not give this freakshow a dime and let her deal with the charges pending.
Come on, Commissioners!
Posted by mcblogger at 09:57 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 28, 2009
Teh vomit... it rises up my throat...
Just go read this and find out why the Schlockman is widely considered to be one of the worst dailies in the world.
I get that this was supposed to be tongue in cheek but it's just so fucking stupid that I had to say something. A LAME blog wouldn't have run this. It is, in fact, almost as pathetic as Gardner Selby's barely readable commentary pieces. You know, as long as we're offering honest assessments...
Posted by mcblogger at 02:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 26, 2009
With friends like this
While Austin Mayor Leffingwell and Council Member Morrison stood up, some laid down.
This from Save Town Lake:
Austin City Council votes to ignore Waterfront Overlay
Despite the recommendations of the Waterfront Overlay Task Force and hundreds of calls and emails from Austinites like you who are concerned about reckless development in the Lady Bird Lake view shed, the City Council voted with Houston developer Grayco last night.On a 5-2 vote, the Council gave initial approval for Grayco to build it's "PUD," despite that the proposed buildings violate the Waterfront Overlay ordinance.
Approval of this PUD sets a dangerous precedent for future "exceptions" to the ordinances that protect Austin's unique character. If the Council can overrule these limits with a simple vote, the sky truly is the limit.
Thank you to Mayor Leffingwell and Council Member Morrison
We would like to thank Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Council Member Laura Morrison for showing courage, vision, and leadership in the face of moneyed interests and voting against the Grayco PUD. Please support these officials who continue to uphold their promises to put Austin first.Tell Council Members Riley and Spelman to keep their promises
This vote was especially disappointing because it would not have happened without the support of Council Members Chris Riley and Bill Spelman. Both members promised on the campaign trail that they would support the recommendations of the Waterfront Overlay Task Force.Before the 2009 City Elections, when Austinites sent Members Riley and Spelman to the Council to represent them, the Austin Neighborhood Council sent all the candidates a questionnaire that included the following questions:
1. "Do you agree with the Waterfront Overlay Task Force (WOTF) findings that it is important to reestablish the waterfront overlay protections from the 1986 code that were removed in the 1999 plain English rewrite?"
2. "Will you push to codify and vote to reinstate the maximum height limits from the 1986 code such that they supersede any other provisions of the Land Development Code (including Planned Unit Developments (PUD) Districts, Planned Development Area (PDA) Combining Districts and Commercial Design Standards?"
3. "Will you oppose current rezoning requests if they violate the intent of the 1986 ordinance?"
Council Members Riley and Spelman answered "Yes" to all three questions.
Despite these campaign pledges, when first given the opportunity to live up to them, Riley and Spelman voted with the developers over the interests of Austin voters.
Riley's and Spelman's votes were, how do you say, aggravating
Mike Martinez - we're still holding out for hope
Shade and Cole - no big surprise, actually expected
So how do you think Perla Cavazos, or for that matter, Jennifer Kim would have voted. Guess we'll never know.
Seems, the tree-hugging, bleeding-hearts types who care more about fixing a community rather than tear it down are becoming less of a voice in this town. As they say, "That's progress".
Posted by Captain Kroc at 08:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 22, 2009
Asking the poor to foot the bill...
A few well meaning people have a problem with Austin Energy's plan to implement a climate change plan because it will increase prices for low income customers. Rep. Rodriguez has a very well written (and well thought out) smackdown.
What will the poor do down the road if we don't implement these changes and start spending money to delevop new technologies? We are already at Hubbert's Peak in terms of global oil production. That means that all that recently discovered natgas and all the coal we still have is going to have to increasingly be used for transportation needs. Which means that one way or another, energy prices are about to go up for everyone.
In the long run, adjusting for climate change and helping people during the transition is the safer, saner bet. And at the end of it will still be able to breathe!
Posted by mcblogger at 09:20 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 15, 2009
Attention WillCo D's : Find a candidate
Toll road lovin' Rep. Dan Gattis has announced a run for the seat being vacated by Sen. Ogden (who has his own issues, if rumors are to be believed).
So, y'all have a mission... find someone to run against this freakshow. This isn't a partisan thing, Dan Gattis is a stuffed shirt with no business in the House, let alone the Senate.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 12, 2009
Stimulus dollars still planned for toll road
Federal stimulus dollars, to the tune of $90 million, is going to build a portion of Manor Expressway, a toll road to be constructed by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. The road will connect US 183 to and from US 290.The $90 million in funding was requested by the Texas Department of Transportation, on behalf of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. Proponents say it will create 500 jobs. Opponents say the jobs are only temporary and having to pay to use the toll roads amount to a double tax.
Double? Try triple... people will be paying a gas tax, then a toll tax and (because the stimulus was borrowed money obtained by the Fed's) then income taxes. Three different taxes going to pay for the same ribbons of concrete.
Building toll roads with stimulus dollars is completely unacceptable.
Posted by mcblogger at 02:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 01, 2009
Now this will jam me up...
Council gives prelim approval to banning text messaging while driving. On it's face, this isn't a bad idea... for everyone but me. What I'd also like to see is a ban on cell phone use without a handsfree device. I saw a close call Thursday afternoon on Parmer when someone on the phone swerved into the other lane... and continued despite the fact that the driver in that lane was honking like a mad.
Come on, He Who Stands Up To Toby... make that happen!
Posted by mcblogger at 09:05 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
August 30, 2009
The Schlockman offers some AWESOME advice
It's pretty awesome that the Statesman is so much in love with Democrats that they're urging them to run a full slate in the general election in 2010. That's one of the reasons Hank Gilbert (whom The Schlockman mistakenly referred to as a lesser-known candidate than Tom Schieffer who, until earlier in the year, no one even knew existed) is running. He's working on doing just that, finding a full field and doing the job that Tom Schieffer should have been doing since May.
This is party building at it's best and Tom's and it's clear Team Schieffer just can mount an effort to decide which fundraiser to use, let alone with whom to share the ticket. Apparently all he's been able to do is secure the endorsements of four good folks in the House which was done long before Gilbert became a factor in the race (just sayin', Ed Board).
It's remarkable that a paper that's been so staunchly Republican and so consistently wrong would even bother talking about the 2010 D primary. Still, it's great to see them finally right on something. Even if there's probably no way in hell they will endorse any of our candidates for the general election.
Oh, and just a note for Selby and Embry... you look kinda stupid pretending that Hank Gilbert is a non-entity. The man ran a campaign on less than 100k in 2006 and still managed to get more votes than any other Democratic executive office candidate. Since then, he's worked tirelessly all over the state and was a significant part of the reason the Republican drive to privatize infrastructure was shut down hard in the Special. I'll be the first to offer that he has a hard to climb to build the kind of cash on hand that Schieffer has, even if most of that is from loans. However, he knows that money cost him that election in 2006.
And he's not about to let that happen again.
Posted by mcblogger at 06:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 26, 2009
What I've been up to...
I'm sure you've noticed the paucity of posts today and for that I can only offer my apologies. I'm sure some of you are jonesing for a little profanity since you've been without all day long.
Sorry about that. I was kinda fucking busy living my fucking life. We cool?
It's not like there aren't 86,000 authors for this site who could have, I don't know, stepped up to the goddamn plate and written something. Meanwhile, the post I put up before going to bed is the one that was up ALL DAY LONG. And it kept making me feel like shit.
So, anyway, a brief accounting of my time...
My favorite thing... from Swing State
It looks like there'll be an alternative to Bush-backer Tom Schieffer and weirdo self-promoter Kinky Friedman in the Democratic primary after all: Hank Gilbert, a cattle rancher who lost the 2006 Agriculture Commissioner race (although he did do the best of any Dem statewide candidate that year), says he'll run.
No. no... stop. You had me at weirdo self-promoter!
I kid, I kid... actually, it was very cool and even without the little HH love, I was hella excited about this project. But I didn't tell them that until my drink had already been delivered. Evan even said he actually enjoyed McBlogger. I'm sure it was probably something The Mayor wrote. Or Krispy Kreme. Or FruitFly. Who have all been noticeably absent lately, right?
I'll try to do better tomorrow. Until then, havagoodun!
Posted by mcblogger at 09:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 17, 2009
Assholes On Bikes! The Biking Beast... all for you, ladies!
A little something to lighten the mood...
Ladies and gay mens, I don't want y'all gettin' all a-flustered over this Grade A beefcake. There's more than enough to go around.
This mook didn't really get in my way (I mean other than being in front of me at a left turn signal in a busy north central intersection). I just thought I would share his rather criminal dress sense.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 14, 2009
My new favorite thing...
A website that takes the irritation of real people and turns it into funny videos...
Posted by mcblogger at 11:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
What are you, a camel?
Quit with the using of the water, K?
Posted by mcblogger at 09:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 12, 2009
Uhm. Yeah, I'm just gonna call bullshit right here
The last units at the Bel Air condos on South Congress between the Ben White freeway and Stassney were auctioned over the past weekend. The larger two bedroom units went for up to $240,000.
Just as a point of reference, you can buy a decent 3/2 in that area for less than $200,000. With a yard and more square footage. Granted, it's not brand new but it also doesn't have a view of a junkyard.
The best part of the article...
Winchell said the condo market in general has slowed nationally and locally over the past six to nine months.However, he said Austin doesn’t have a large excess supply of condo units compared with other markets.
“I think Austin will be one of the first to recover,” he said.
Larry Warshaw, a co-developer of several condo projects in and near downtown, including the Spring high-rise that opens this month, said in an e-mail that “qualified buyers are having no difficulty getting financing.”
At Spring, he said, more than 100 buyers are expected to close on their units and move into the building within the next 10 to 90 days, “and virtually all of them have traditional Fannie Mae-approved residential financing in the $300,000 to $1 million range.”
At the W Austin Hotel and Residences under construction downtown, developer Stratus Properties Inc. said that almost half of the 159 condos are under contract, representing $80 million in sales, and that no one has walked away from a contract. That project will be completed in December 2010, with the last condominiums finishing in May 2011.
Oh. My. Where to begin... first off, we do have a lot of condos all over town so there's pretty decent supply. We also have a lot of Single Family Residential (SFR) units on the market and more on the way thanks to foreclosures. No, we're not the Inland Empire region of CA, but it's not the market here is breaking records to the upside. Needless to say, we're not going down the tubes but it's going to be a year or more before things are stable.
As for the Spring, there have been some recent changes on the secondary market regarding acceptable condo projects, especially new construction. They may not effect these first closings, but they'll probably effect the ones immediately after. And how many of those units were financed by TBW?
The best is the part from the W... no one is backing out of the contract yet? Big shocker since that money is (likely) non-refundable and you won't even know their intentions until December, 2010.
Posted by mcblogger at 08:53 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
August 08, 2009
Come learn about what's really going on in DC
Congressman Doggett, a rare master of event planning, is having a health care 'neighborhood office hours' event in about 30 minutes. It's sure to be lousy with those obnoxious teabaggers, so be sure you're prepared for a Silkwood shower later.
CommunityCare, Rundberg Health Center - 825 E. Rundberg Lane
If we're SOOPER lucky, Junior John will show up as well!
Posted by mcblogger at 10:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 03, 2009
Running ssllooww with Barbara Bembry
Well, it appears that our last remaining Republican elected official happens to have the slowest JP Court in Travis County...
Not satisfied, Hendricks said he searched and found what he thought was a direct e-mail address. In his e-mail, Hendricks expressed frustration while acknowledging that Bembry's court was probably very busy."I'm respectfully asking that you or someone on your staff provide me with an honest expectation of when my case might be heard," Hendricks wrote in closing.
Neither Bembry nor anyone in her court answered the e-mail, he said.
After Hendricks called July 15 — 331 days, or nearly 11 months after he filed his complaint — and was told by a clerk that a time frame for a court date could not be estimated, Hendricks called Statesman Watch.
"It's frustrating," he said. "No one can give me an answer. She (Bembry) is an elected official, but it seems as though all I can do is not vote for her for re-election. I think I'm entitled to justice."
Office managers for justices of the peace in Precincts 3 and 5 said someone filing a small claims case in their courts can expect to wait three to six months for a court date. Neither manager was willing to speculate on what would keep Hendricks' case from being scheduled for 11 months.
Take a moment and go help out a fantastic attorney who has stepped up to the plate to take Judge Bembry on, Amy Clark Meachum.
Posted by mcblogger at 02:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 01, 2009
Dear Lloyd Doggett,
Unless you desired to be surrounded by nutties shouting you down, next time you hold a “town hall meeting”, try to have it in a more controlled environment with moderators and, you know, get groups involved who support health care reform. Obama for Texas and the Travis County Democratic Party would have been a good start. But God-forbid, that would not be very bi-partisan.
With several hundred in attendance, 90% being anti-government, teabaggers, nutters, birthers, imbeciles, d-bags, bullies, and libertarians(sorry, I already said nutters), you could not get out your message as shouts of socialist, ignorant, evil, and other unprintable terms, along with uncontrollable rants dominated what was supposed to be a civil debate.
Hopefully, you realize that a concept of a unity of purpose endorsed by all people is now a mute point. So screw them.
Also, the management at Randall’s at Brodie and Slaughter probably didn’t take kindly to screaming crazy people blocking the entrance to the store.
Lloyd, you had to know that this was going to happen. An angry mob following you to your car certainly had to have you thinking about your safety.
The good old days of people standing in line of a grocery store lobby to kiss your ring and complain that social security didn’t deliver their check this month must seem like a faint quaint memory.
What is really sad is that there were people who have legitimate concerns about the current drafting but were not allowed to debate in a civil manner.
Let’s go over this one more time. Fear-mongering created by corporate and conservative think-tanks flamed by Republican politicians and right-wing media for the benefit of insurance companies and pharmaceuticals.
The framing, Lloyd, the framing.
Posted by Captain Kroc at 02:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 31, 2009
TX Sen Primary : Travis County shaping up to be a dogfight
At the end of May I ran into Austin consulting guru David Butts. David was handing out John Sharp for Senate stickers and I asked him if we was really supporting Sharp or just being comical (a valid question since David has a wicked sense of humor). He told me he was really supporting Sharp and allowed me to snap this picture with the lackluster camera on my blackberry...
At that point, I was ready to call Travis County for John Sharp in an potential Sharp v. Bill White fight. I'm glad I didn't since I ran into a force of nature last night by the name of Donna Beth McCormick. For those that don't know, if you want to run for anything in Travis County, Donna Beth is one of the people you talk to first. Along with David Butts, Richard Franklin, Eleanor Thompson and former Sen. Barrientos. She allowed me to take this picture of her at the John Lipscomb kickoff last night...
Though the picture is ass (it's a poor photographer that blames his equipment and I will readily admit to being a poor photographer. I will also readily admit that phone cameras suck), that pin on her lapel is one of those fancy enameled Bill White pins. Score Team White in a brilliant counter to Team Sharp!
So now Travis County is a toss up. I hate it when mom and dad disagree!
Posted by mcblogger at 01:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 28, 2009
Just let him kill himself...
In Austin yesterday, a man in the Barton Creek Greenbelt near MoPac and the 360 threatened to kill himself. With a gun. Meanwhile, the police decided it would be an AWESOME idea to shut down MoPac. During rush hour.
So, really, next time could we just let the unstable people go on and kill themselves? Would have been a lot faster if a single cop had gone down just to watch the jerk and tell him what a loser he was and that it would probably be a good idea for him to kill himself.
I feel this way and I wasn't even sitting in traffic. I'm just that pissed that the city basically shut down because of one, unstable, attention whore.
Posted by mcblogger at 08:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Oh, come on Randalls!
So, this lady up in Round Rock is at a Randall's. She's standing at the deli counter when some guy runs by and steals her purse. She runs after the man, catching the attention of a Randall's employee who then runs after the thief. The police are called and eventually catch up to the employee and thief who is promptly arrested.
The employee, within days, is fired.
"We got (Welch) her purse back, all of her money, everything," Schafer said. "Then, the next day, my loss prevention unit from Randalls came in and said I was suspended without pay."A few days later, Schafer said, he was fired.
Randalls spokeswoman Connie Yates said on Monday that, like all employees, Schafer had been trained not to pursue suspects in situations like the purse snatching. Instead, employees are told to focus on getting information for law enforcement officials.
"The policy exists for the safety of our employees, customers and others who may be seriously injured in a chase," Yates said in a statement.
You know, I get the policy. But this was an employee who actually did something good. Everyone who works at Randall's understands that their job is NOT to apprehend suspects. This was one guy, on his break, using his own initiative. And the company should be rewarding him, not firing him.
And yeah, I shop at Randall's. If this guy doesn't get his job back, they've lost a customer.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 23, 2009
LCRA and long range planning
LCRA is looking at demand on it's resources more than doubling in the next 100 years... obviously, it'll cause some problems so they're looking at options to extend or increase their supplies of water.
• Conservation:By far the cheapest technique outlined, it could slice demand by 40,000 to 80,000 acre-feet a year, at a cost of $110 million to $220 million, or close to $400 an acre-foot, to pay for education, incentive programs for homeowners and businesses to buy things like low-flow toilets, and increased enforcement of conservation rules, among other things.• Importing:Taking groundwater from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer and piping it to Travis County, a yield of 22,400 acre-feet per year, at a cost of $331 million, or $1,900 per acre-foot.
• Desalination:Building a coastal plant to treat seawater and pipe it to Bay City, where it can be used to satisfy industrial demand and alleviate pressure on the Highland Lakes. Yielding 22,400 acre-feet per year, at a cost of $463 million, or $2,890 per acre-foot.
• Dredging:Removing silt from the Highland Lakes, including the Sometimes Islands, to make the reservoirs larger. Yielding up to 746 acre-feet per year at a cost of as much as $263,000 per acre-foot, or $2.7 billion overall.
• Reservoir:Building a reservoir in the lower basin and piping it up to Travis County, yielding up to 100,000 acre-feet, at a cost of $1.9 billion, or about $2,150 an acre-foot.
The per-acre-foot costs of the options include 30 years in upkeep and operations and debt payments for each project. Many of the projects could take five to 10 years to build, the report said.
Obvs, the wrench in the planning is alterations in weather patterns. Less rain and less snowfall in the mountains means less water. Period. One thing that caught my eye was reservoir construction... why would we build something down river from Austin then pipe back up? Why not use that water to supply the industrial facilities near Matagorda Bay?
Just sayin' is all...
Posted by mcblogger at 09:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 08, 2009
What will Oppel do, teach them to suck?
The Statesman is reporting that former editor Rich Oppel will be going to work for Public Strategies. As for what he'll be doing there, Former W Adviser Dan Bartlett said he'd be one of six senior advisers.
Oppel will be advising managers who hire PS on how to run an enterprise into the ground, maximize shareholder losses and generally suck at anything you set out to achieve. I mean, this is what he'll do if past performance is any guide.
Does anyone else think this was a payback for the 2000 and 2004 Statesman endorsements of W?
Posted by mcblogger at 12:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 11, 2009
Stimulus money being used for toll roads
The biggest surprise of the week is that federal stimulus dollars are being spent on a tollway, specifically the unfinanceable 290E tollway.
The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board's approval will add the projects to $107 million in stimulus money for the area that the Texas Transportation Commission awarded three months ago, the bulk of it for the planned U.S. 290 tollway in Northeast Austin.
So, your income taxes, gas taxes AND toll taxes will be paying for this tollway. Nice, huh?
Posted by mcblogger at 11:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Congratulations Team Lee!
Via email today came word that Mayor-elect Leffingwell has selected the following people to serve on his staff...
Mark Nathan, Nancy Williams, Matt Curtis, Amy Everhart, Janet Jackson. Congratulations and good luck to you all!
In other city related news, we've heard that Ott had IT kill access to McBlogger from city computers. Can anyone confirm?
Posted by mcblogger at 09:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 05, 2009
In local news...
According to the affidavit, police interviewed McDonald, who confessed to wiping the end of the tube with feces.“McDonald advised that she knew her actions would cause her daughter to stay sick,” the affidavit said. “McDonald also explained that rubbing feces on her daughter’s line could cause her to become septic and that it could kill her.”
Posted by mcblogger at 03:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 23, 2009
Uhm, yeah... it would really help if y'all could get things right
Not for nothing but a little research really wouldn't kill Republicans (or Ben Wear*). First up is Rep. John Carter who mistakenly thought cap and trade would COST Texas electric users $20 bn per year. It will actually SAVE Texans $20 bn per year.
Then there's this. And I really don't know how I can top the ignorance here. Oh, sure, it's unintended funny but I just have to ask... REALLY?
I can't WAIT until Rep. Bonner or Rep. Brown (who is throwing her own little nutty about worthless Voter ID) decide to explain the culture of Teh Gays.
*Just as a side note, and not to pick on poor Ben, but his reporting is lackluster and puddle deep. Reading his pieces on transportation over the last few years has been enlightening in so far as revealing how far someone will go to avoid ever looking deeper into, well, anything.
I've often wondered if Wear was really a head of cabbage. I'm sure he's a hell of a guy, but he's a stenographer. Not a reporter.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 22, 2009
A Quarter BILLION Dollars For Frigging Bike Lanes?
According to the city, less than 1 percent of people in Austin ride their bikes to work.
Under the updated bike plan, the city wants 5 percent of people to ride their bikes to work.
The other ninety-five percent will be praying that the bikers' desks are all downwind.
A better use for the money would be to build a giant abattoir at the end of the Town Lake Bike Bridge to Nowhere and eliminate the bike problem once and for all.
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 08:26 AM | TrackBack
May 14, 2009
Assholes On Bikes!
I am extremely pleased to be able to bring you a new feature, Assholes On Bikes. There are some of you who will, no doubt be a little offended by this. What's awesome about that is that I don't care! This is a feature that will give you, the reader, an up-close look at the people who choose pedal power over horsepower... and usually manage to fuck up my day in one way or another. Up first, these two dbags. They were riding on 360, on the shoulder, and held me up from making a turn for 20 seconds.
Petty? Fuck yeah it is! That's McB, bitch!
Lookit, it's not that I hate cyclists. It's that I'm pissed as hell you guys choose to ignore the rules the rest of us, in cars and on foot, have to observe. Sure it's not all of you but it's so many of you that, frankly, we can't tell the difference. Actually, I guess we can put the blame on the 'pro' cyclists dressed as billboards who, for one reason or another, can't be bothered to actually stop at stop signs because it will break their fantasy of being Lance The Shitheel in the Tour de Shitty Country In Europe.
Vive le retard!
Posted by mcblogger at 08:52 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
May 13, 2009
Being social. Eating ice cream.
Every year, Travis County Constable Bruce Elfant has an ice cream social to raise money for his campaign war chest since there's always the chance that at some point in the distant future he'll draw a Republican opponent. Since that chance is so slim it would make a long shot junky drool, Constable Elfant usually gives the money to a charity, this year it's the Safe Start Fund For Family Drug Treatment (say that three times fast while spinning).
People from all over the county make ice cream for the event and those who attend vote on their favorite flavor.
Having won the last TWO
years,
I have decided not to compete so as to give one of you other people the opportunity to win. Nice of me, right? The social will be at the AFL-CIO Auditorium @ 1102 Lavaca this Sunday (the 17th for those who are trying to tie dates to days of the week) from 3 to 5. It promises to be an exciting event.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 11, 2009
Jury Doodie
Apparently, the wheel of fortune has turned onto me once more and it's time for me to do my civic duty and sit in judgment of one of my fellow citizens.
Or, find a way to get out of it.
Apparently, I can appear online via Second Life avatar OR I can show up IRL about a week from now. I'm also thrilled that I don't have to go downtown for this. I am not thrilled that, once more, there will be no bar and no smoking lounge. Needless to say, I'm giving 6:1 odds on the victory of 'show up online' vs. 'go in person' both of which are even now engaged in a no-rules cage match in my head.
Seriously, I'm hardly the person you want in a jury box (aren't you terribly proud of me for not making a box joke?). Just sayin' this may be one of those rare instances when people who shuffle around in slippers and talk to their cats may be better suited to the task. After all, I'm sure they've seen FAR more Law and Order than I have.
Anyone have ideas as to which (OL v. IRL) is more likely to get me outta this?
Posted by mcblogger at 10:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Going Coleman
Shortly after Election Day 2008, Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman, whom early returns gave a narrow lead, urged his opponent Al Franken to concede and save the taxpayers the expense of a legally-mandated recount. Of course, as the post-election counting and recounting and challenges proceeded, it was Franken who collected the most votes. Now it's Coleman who's decided that maybe this democracy thing isn't such a hot idea after all and is dragging the matter out in the courts, hoping perhaps that an errant asteroid will smash into the planet before Al Franken can be seated.
It is extremely disconcerting that the first reaction coming out of the Leffingwell camp to the Saturday election results was that Brewster McCracken should concede and save the taxpayers the expense of a runoff election. Now, I don't blame Leffingwell for wanting to avoid a runoff. He does have a commanding lead, falling just three points short of grabbing the brass ring. But there are some funny things about Austin politics. Turnout usually falls dramatically for runoff elections. It's certainly not unknown for the supporters of the leader in the general election to decide that their guy has it "in the bag" and not bother to show up at the polls a second time. (Just ask Margot Clarke about 2005.) What about the citizens who voted for Carole Strayhorn? Do we just conclude "they're just Republicans who would never vote for any Democrat" and scratch them off the list?
No. This is America, and we decide these things by voting. Our City Charter requires that our Mayor be elected by a majority of the votes cast and we should live up to that. Shame---SHAME---on those who tell us that democracy is just an expensive boondoggle we should discard to save a few bucks.
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 08:47 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
May 10, 2009
OMG! LOL! That's soooo AWESOME!
Funniest thing I've seen all day...
McCracken is going to have to revisit his position on corporate subsidies, or he’ll never get the support of Brian Rodgers and Linda Curtis powerhouse mailing list and website. He needs to do some soul searching here and have a one on one with Brian (who should have run for Mayor because he’s the Austinite most deserving and qualified for this post). He doesn’t stand a chance without the support of this major power broker who delivered the votes in the StopDomain referendum and supported Carole Keeton Strayhorn.
Except that they lost. On both items. WRT to Strayhorn, they came in third.
Oh, there will be a lot more on this entire post but I HAD to say something about this. Rogers, like many members of RG4N, has a unique ability to turn supporters into people who'd really rather help fight AGAINST him. I was one of them and now, frankly, I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOP AT THAT AWESOME NEW WAL-MART ON ANDERSON. Also, I LOVE my new slides that I bought from NM at the Domain.
As for Linda Curtis, if the moron could figure out what the hell she was doing, I'd pay attention. But she can't. She's an ineffectual idiot wasting the time of good people who would be better off listening to saner and smarter people. Linda, like a lot of half-assed 'movement' leaders, gets out in front of something that may have been worthwhile... and fucks it all up. She and the Stalls, for one thing, were so completely ineffectual on efforts to really fix the transportation mess in this state that it's a wonder I don't have part of the TTC running through my living room. Their cowtowing to douchebags like Sen.'s Carona and Nichols is now well known and part of the reason we are still fighting over the TTC and toll financing this session.
Posted by mcblogger at 06:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
No, no... it's not that. I really do think you're a retard.
I have a friend we'll call Dave but whose real name is Ken. Dave is kind of a pretentious jackass who talks about going to fabulous events like gallery openings and book readings and fundraisers that are very expensive (he gets to go to these because of his magical check writing ability... dumbass thinks it's all because they like him). Dave lives in OC but acts like he lives in LA. Honestly, once you're on the 405 there's really not much of a difference between the two... the southland all kind of blends together. However, while people in OC might say they live in LA, people in LA would beat you to death if you mistake them for someone from OC.
I've seen it happen. I have blood stained jeans to prove it.
Dave also, like oh so many in OC, is a Republican which is funny because he's also a sistah. A deeply closeted sistah, but a cocksucking, assmunching, buttfucking sistah nonetheless. When we both worked for the same bank, Dave liked to pretend he was straight which was funny as hell to me and a lot of others because, well, the boy had a vag. I can, if pressed, pass for straight. Dave couldn't. Ever. Needless to say, it was kind of comical when he tried to talk to the straight guys about chicks and stuff and sports.
Last year, Dave developed a crush on Republican heartthrob Mr. The Plumber. Unbeknown to Dave, Mr. The Plumber doesn't like the gays. At all.
"People don't understand the dictionary — it's called queer," Wurzelbacher told Christianity Today in an interview published this week. "Queer means strange and unusual. It's not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we're supposed to do — what man and woman are for."He added, "I've had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn't have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they're people, and they're going to do their thing."
So. Much. Here... First, I'll be honest and admit I've never really understood the dictionary. People have forEVER been telling me that I'm simply too stupid to comprehend a reference guide that gives definitions for a vast number of words which are all, conveniently, arranged alphabetically.
As for queer being a slur, like so many things it depends on tone and inflection of the speaker. It's a lot like the word 'nigger'. When you say it with a smile in a friendly tone of voice to a black person, like "It's soooo good to see you! How are you doing, you old nigger!" Black people just, you know, fucking LOVE it. Same with The Gays and queer. Or faggot which is another word that is not, at all, offensive when someone who is not a faggot uses it to refer to someone who is The Gay. Really, people should completely feel comfortable using words that used to be considered extremely pejorative. As long as you say them nicely, it's all good. Score one, Mr. The Plumber.
Now as for not letting The Gays play with his kids, that's a tough one. On the one hand, The Gays usually love children. On the other hand, they just can't stop themselves from LOVING the children. It's a sickness which is why the overwhelming number of pedophiles (lovers of children) are The Gay. Mr. The Plumber, being extremely wise and knowledgeable, just wants to protect his little plumbers. Chalk another one up for Mr. The Plumber, 2-0.
Now, on the subject of what men and women are for, I think what Mr. The Plumber means is that God specifically says that women are for the pleasure of men. More to the point, you ladies are only here to satisfy the raw sexual urges of Mr. The Plumber. So, you all have that to look forward to. SCORE, Mr. The Plumber, 3-0.
Finally, it's great to know that Mr. The Plumber has some friends that are actually The Gay. It always makes me feel better if, when people say offensive things about different groups of people, they will just let us know that they have friends in that group. It also shows that Mr. The Plumber has a great depth of knowledge about The Gays.
I sent this to Dave and his response was that I needed to stop rubbing McCain's loss in his face. I told Dave that wouldn't happen because, much like a dog that shit in the house, he has to be trained. And he really needs to do a better job picking his objet de masturbation.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Release The Concession!
Well, it's over. Leffingwell came in just shy of 50% and Release The McCracken came in a distant second. So now we're all left wondering... will RTM really demand a runoff?
In other news, a Perla Cavazos did not win. The lame running for Place 1 won. And yes, it's something we will definitely be blaming on You People. In fact, in honor of our new city councilmember, we're going to be inaugurating a new feature on McBlogger, Assholes On Bikes.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 08, 2009
Scummin' it up with The Brew
Just when you thought it really wasn't possible for RTM to sink lower than he already had, the nasty little snatch in cooperation with Responsible Growth for Northcross is running a push poll against Leffingwell
Just got a negative robo-call from a group identifying themselves as Responsible Growth for Northcross. it was NASTY -- it attacked Lee and accused him of taking money from Clayton Williams, putting developers over voters, said that Lee doesn't listen...It then went on to praise Brewster as a progressive who has the support of the film and clean energy industry.
Hmmm... let me think. Brewster's votes on tolls certainly weren't progressive. Actually, none of his transportation votes were what you might call progressive. That alone puts him pretty solidly in the developers camp, not to mention the hip pocket of the Chamber of Commerce. And let's not forget, Release The McCracken never stuck his neck out for Northcross. I wouldn't be surprised if RTM had stock in Wal Mart.
Now, there's something to be said for taking money from someone as classically retarded as Claytie Williams. It's really pretty smart, especially when you know that Lee is like Clayton Williams about as much as Brewster is like Mike Martinez. Which is to say not at all. I'm all about politico's taking money from stupid people to do good things. Lee obviously feels the same way.
Oh, and while we're on the subject of campaign contributors, let's talk about one of Brew's in particular that caught my eye... from our former City Manager, The Demon Toby Futrell. On the sheer evil scale of 1-10, Claytie Williams is a bumbling two. Toby is a 15. Let's all remember that Toby was all in love with the Domain subsidies and converting Northcross into a Wal Mart. Let's also remember that Release The McCracken made a habit out of being Toby's bitch.
Finally, someone reminded me that there's yet another connection to Claytie Williams in all this... His campaign co-chair way back in 90 was none other than former Comptroller and current Mayoral candidate Carol Keeton Rylander McClelland Strayhorn. And, no, she didn't resign when he jokingly suggested she enjoy being raped.
One has to wonder why Brew, if he were really so offended, would focus on a check instead of Carol's silence.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:20 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
April 30, 2009
Does Brewster have swine flu?
Take a look at this shitty little campaign vid from Team Brewster. Seriously, I'll wait for you to get back...
Aside from the content, which we'll get to in a moment, did you notice the sweating? What's up with that... it's like Nixon during the '60 Presidential debate. I know all drafthouse locations have AC, I've nearly been flash frozen by the one at the Village. So, the only reasonable explanation I could think of was that Brewster, you know, has the swine flu.
But that's kind of irrelevant since the message contained in the ad is a little more important. And that message, in case you missed it while Release the McCracken was beating you over the head with it, is that if Austin doesn't elect RTM, we're going to become like Saint Louis which is, according to RTM, a burnt out shell of a city. As you can imagine, some people in St. Louis didn't like that too much...
I mean, other than looking well fed and midwestern (which they clearly were) these people look normal as a damn Rockwell painting. And St. Louis' urban core, just FYI, looks like this...
Whatever, RTM... you've only got yourself to sell and, unfortunately for you, we already know that's a worthless item. In the end, your leadership didn't make Austin great... and it certainly won't make it greater. That's the problem with trying to sell yourself as the only candidate who can continue to make our lives awesome... people's lives were good here in Austin before you came along and they'll be fabulous once you're off council this summer.
This entire campaign has been little more than ego masturbation by Release the McCracken.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
We must burn the infected in a cleansing fire
Apparently, now there is someone with a case of swine flu in Austin. Please, rush to get masks and panic. Oh, it would also be super if you stayed away from work, the grocery store and, well, everything else.
With a probable case of swine flu reported Wednesday at the Lucy Read Pre-Kindergarten Demonstration School in Austin, local officials held a news conference to activate their office of emergency management to monitor swine flu and gather information about it. The office will be open, for now, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will monitor and share information with agencies that include schools, law enforcement and health officials. Officials said they expect to see more cases of swine flu, and one reason is because they are looking for it.
And then there's the obligatory moto quote...
"I think there's a natural paranoid-type reaction," said Dr. Steve Berkowitz, chief medical officer at St. David's HealthCare, which operates hospitals in Travis and Williamson counties. But "there have been some horrendous epidemics in the past, and how do we know this will not be one of them? Of course, we really don't."Berkowitz said the closing of Lucy Read in Austin was "very appropriate" and "smart." He and others said they expect the child's case to be confirmed soon.
No, Dr. Son Of Sam's Brother, no we don't know if this will be yet another horrendous epidemic which makes us even MORE paranoid. Can't imagine why, with such solid public health information, we'd be soooo paranoid. With speculation about how bad this could be coming from doctors, is it any wonder the masks will soon be out?
Posted by mcblogger at 09:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 28, 2009
Apparently, the ACL organizers missed the 90's
The headliners for ACL have been announced and, really, it's a powerhouse lineup... if it was 1996.
Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, the Beastie Boys, Kings of Leon, Ben Harper and Relentless7 , and Thievery Corporation.
Let's have a contest... who sucks more, Kings of Leon or The Dave Matthews Band?
In an age where superbands have functionally ceased to exist, the music scene is more fractured than the former Yugoslavia and individual music tastes vary so widely, are music festivals like ACL even relevant anymore?
I would like to see Lily Allen... just to see if she'll be able to stand up during her entire set. But it's not worth $185 to me.
The Mayor did want to know how they could have missed bringing Anal Cunt to the festival? Anyone?
Posted by mcblogger at 11:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 27, 2009
Vote For Meh
{Being Mayor McSleaze's minority report on the mayoral endorsement}
Can it be that after enduring this endlessly uninteresting mayoral race since last fall we're likely doomed to an even less exciting runoff between two of the three carbon-based lifeforms mentioned below? O how sweet instead wouldst Death's kiss be!
Carole (Insert last name of your choice here) For Austin? Having gained a lap on the Mayan calender, the former Austin mayor is trying to bring on the End Of Days by getting her old job back. Or maybe, just as she used every political office won in her long career as a stepping stone for something else, now that she's on the failure side of her political trajectory she's aiming to someday become chief lawn nazi for some homeowners' association. Those are the two theories I've entertained as to why the woman we all knew as Ms Piggy back in the days that our fair city was the hippest burg on the planet is running. Of course if you dig into the history of that time it's pretty easy to unearth the evidence of how hard Carole fought to deweird Austin back then. Especially memorable was her holy war to destroy the epicenter of the hippie-cosmic cowboy scene, the Armadillo World Headquarters. Palsy the hand that votes for this woman!
That brings us to Brewster McCracken and Lee Leffingwell, the remaining members of this triumvirate of tedium. Honestly, I don't see any reason to recommend one over the other. McCracken has been on the council for two terms; Leffingwell was re-elected last year after first winning a seat in 2005. They're both part of Austin's barely functional, hardly representative municipal structure. Neither offers a dramatic new vision for the direction of the city; just the usual civic-minded boilerplate that gets recycled every time there's a fresh round of elections. They both opposed the charter amendments proposed several years ago which would have opened the workings of city government to public scrutiny. And this past February they both boldly decided to postpone deciding about the Wildflower Commons project. Unlike McCracken, Leffingwell is said to favor single-member districts; I'll believe it's for real when it happens.
To be sure, Leffingwell has managed to win the endorsements of just about all the city employees unions and the Democratic clubs, while McCracken has found himself as popular as the guy wearing a Leon Trotsky t-shirt at Stalin's birthday party. Of course, he (McCracken) did win most of those clubs' endorsements running for re-election in 2006. Maybe he pissed in Jeff Jacks' latte since then. And what of these clubs, anyway? A few, it is true are somewhat active and can turn out a few of their membership to work for candidates. And then there are groups like Southwest Austin Democrats, which exists to stroke the ego of Albert Gonzales, the would-be Caudillo of Oak Hill. For the most part they lead harmless enough existences not unlike seventeen-year cicadas, which emerge only to reproduce and start another cycle of life. Likewise the cycle of endorsements and collection of membership dues.
This has been an awful election with no real issues. The logical end to a city whose citizenry gets more concerned over plans to cut down a few trees than they do about the bums panhandling at every major intersection. McCracken or Leffingwell? I don't gve a flying fuck.
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 12:09 PM | TrackBack
April 23, 2009
How YOU should vote : Mayor
We're sure it will come as a HOOOGE surprise, but we're telling you to go vote for Lee Leffingwell. As for denigrating Brewster, we're kinda bored with it (since we've hit it here, here and here). Especially with his ethical lapses which are summarized in the extended.
As for Buttfloss, the guy is a genuine slumlord. Oh, sure, he makes a big deal about his home for musicians and his halfway houses which the city subsidizes. What he doesn't share at endorsement meetings are his fines for properties that are out of code.
Oh, and Carole. LOVE your signs, sick to death of you. Your massive ego gave us another four years of 39% and yeah, we're not happy about that. Go fuck yourself... Austin doesn't need any more of your 'public service' fuckups. You have been a public douche for three decades and it's time to go-the-fuck-away.
McSleaze will be posting his thoughts on the race later and he has a really interesting take on it that we, of course, will enjoy. You might enjoy it but it's going to depend on whether or not you mouth words as you read them. If you do then you probably won't get it.
These are just a few of the issues we found on RTM's Campaign Finance Report...
He lists a $500 expense for renting out the Alamo Draft House for a fundraiser. It costs $2,100 to rent out the theater he did, and the owners are maxed out contributors.
He only lists paying $100 in rent for the last three months for his campaign headquarters in the Village Shopping Center off Anderson Lane. Which is a super good deal that no one else is ever likely to get.
There are no expenses listed for internet or phone service for his headquarters.
He has been advertising on golf carts that give rides on 6th Street for several months. No expense listed.
There are no payments listed to RTM's consultants, Christian Archer or Temo Figueroa.
There are no payments listed to Constant Contact, the blast email service that RTM has been using (with a disclaimer that reads: " Mayor Pro Tem Brewster McCracken | City Hall | Austin | TX | 78701").
There appear to be several instances of individuals giving more than $350.
There is lots of missing employer / occupation data that is required for donors over $200.
RTM's reimbursement payments are not reported properly.
The PO BOX that RTM has been using for his campaign was paid for with funds from his officeholder account, which can't be used for campaign-related expenses. We're guessing he's also using this account to pay for Constant Contact. Which means we're all, in one small way, helping pay for RTM's campaign.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 22, 2009
How YOU should vote : Seriously, no comments so far?
Well, either you've all decided to vote as instructed or you're so incensed that you simply can't bring yourselves to type your insipid little thoughts into a comment box without smashing the keyboard.
So which is it?
Posted by mcblogger at 08:48 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
How YOU should vote : The other races
These are the collected endorsements of the Author Team at McBlogger. We're really quite proud of them as you can tell by the extensive writes ups which include a brief bio on the candidates and their backgrounds, then a lengthy review of our decision and why we chose a certain way.
Finally, we'd like to mention that, while we're not all that much for single member districts, we do think council should be expanded by 2-3 spots. We also think the gentleman's agreement is a load of shit that's outlived it's usefulness and is, in fact, pretty stupid.
Place Two - He Who Stands Up To Toby. Councilmember Martinez has done a great job and is a real asset to us all. He deserves to be re-elected by a large percentage of the vote. And we think he will be.
We would also like it if he bought us drinks when we next run into him around town. Just saying.
Place Five - Despite the overwhelming number of choices, we're thrilled to be able to tell you to vote for Bill Spelman. Now, the other candidates in this race lobbied hard to get the nod. Some of them even offered bribes. Needless to say, it was a tough decision for us to make and tested our integrity. Which is funny because we didn't know we had any.
In the end, the deciding factor was that Spelman was not imaginary and is, in fact, a real person. The other candidates were kinda 'not real'.
Place Six - Flip A Fucking Coin
We were supporters of Sheryl Cole during her initial run (when we should have been supporting Dwayne Lofton... we've been making up for it ever since). However, she's been lackluster at best, craven and sycophantic at worst, while on Council. That being said, her opponent, Sam Osemene, while a nice guy, seems a little too preoccupied by larger Constitutional issues of government rather than smaller ones. Which is interesting because the Austin City Council really doesn't deal much with larger Constitutional issues.
Seriously, flip a coin before you go into Randall's to vote.
Mayor McSleaze rants in the SuperSize
Single member districts? Hell Yes!
Austin city government as it stands is a self-perpetuating cabal of what Phillip Martin identified as the bikeway insiders. While the notion that electing the entire council at-large means that they all look out for the city as a whole might have still had some validity thirty years ago, Austin has long since grown past Ben White and Research Boulevards. And while the people who live in those neighborhoods may not be as hip as those who dwell in Hyde Park or 78704---might even shop at WalMart instead of insisting their lattes be fair trade---they still are entitled to representation.
Austin's current system of unrepresentative government is not the fault of any individual, nor is changing it the responsibility of any single candidate. Candidates focus their efforts on the historic high-turnout precincts because that's where the votes are under the at-large system. But if, as is claimed, the council as currently elected is supposed to look out for the interests of the city as a whole, then it is their responsibility to ensure real, geographic representation for ALL the residents of this city, not just those approved of by the Austin Chronicle.
One way or another, change will come to Austin's city government. I like to believe that we can be the authors of that change before it is imposed on us from outside.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:05 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
April 21, 2009
How YOU should vote : Place One
Perla Cavazos wins our endorsement because of her willingness to explore all options and commitment to making the Council (and the City) more proactive in handling the issues which seem to plague us year after year. Additionally, she is genuinely responsive to the needs of a the entire city and truly thinks of it as a whole, not just as 'Downtown plus some other places'.
The fact that she looks like Eva Mendes compared to Chris Riley's Cryptkeeper definitely helped the straight boys who author here make their decision.
While we like Chris and find him knowledgeable, we also found him stuck on several issues and dismissive of other solutions (not to mention more than a little didactic). He seems like the consummate policy wonk, fully aware of conventional wisdom and unwilling (or unable) to think outside the box to discover alternate solutions. Worse, he apparently has never thought it appropriate to question the CW or the assumptions that lead to it. That's not at all what Austin needs. We already have Sen. Watson.
Perla's broad and deep knowledge base helped her during her six and half years as a senior policy analyst in the byzantine world of the Texas Senate. Her mastery of policy intricacies and political considerations there will enable her to translate easily to City Hall which is, obviously, a far calmer environment.
Austin needs the dynamic, thoughtful and creative leadership of Perla Cavazos on the City Council.
Oh and, again, she's fuckin' smokin' hawt!
Supersize this entry to read Mayor McSleaze's thoughts
I concur with McBlogger's endorsement of Perla Cavazos for Place One.
Like the majority of Austin voters, I really haven't been paying much attention this year. But I like Perla, first, because she is smokin' hot, and I also think it would upset the apple cart a little to elect a Latina to one of the seats set aside for Whitey under the so-called "gentleman's agreement".
Chris Riley? Mostly, I am upset by his yard signs. For one thing, they have one of those stylized urban skylines and I HATE those. They remind me of Greg Knappe's signs from 2005. Remember Greg Knappe? He was rumored to be developers' candidate back then. I wore out a pair of shoes blockwalking for Margot Clarke that year and damned if Jennifer Kim didn't end up stomping us in the runoff. Better her than Greg Knappe.
Not only do Chris O'Riley's signs have a skyline on them, they also have on of those wave things that are so popular these days. I suppose it's supposed to make me think of Obama. Or maybe it's supposed to make me think of Pepsi. I'm confused. And the last thing we need in this city is a councilmember who promotes confusion.
---McSleaze
Posted by mcblogger at 08:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 20, 2009
How YOU should vote : Austin Council Races
Endorsements are lame, especially when what we all mean is "Hey. Moron. This is who you should vote for. Those other people are trash". Seriously, is there is any doubt in anyone's mind that The Statesman didn't take us all for a bunch of double digit IQ's when they endorsed Release The McCracken. I don't know whether it's honest or if the ed board has taken up drinking during the day.
Regardless, their endorsements were pretty much the standard fare from a paper that less than 10% of it's audience actually reads. A paper that's so worthless, the land underneath the building is worth more than the business that sits on it. A paper so worthless that year after inexplicable year they continue to employ talentless halfwits like Arnold Garcia who'd rather pick fights with people than report, you know, the fucking news.
But really, enough about the 'tards at the Statesman and their pathetic endorsements. This is, at it's core, about us. In the next few days we're releasing the names of the people we feel you should be voting for. We may or may not spend some time tearing up the folks who didn't get the nod, so you can look forward to all that.
Posted by mcblogger at 04:03 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Time Warner drops tiered pricing
TWC, feel free to do this or not do this. I'm already planning a switch to DirecTV and I've already got an aircard. No, you're not going to throw a wrench into my fun.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 17, 2009
TYD's are having a party!
OK, maybe it's not so much a party as it is a convention at St. Ed's this weekend...
TYD Convention runs from 9am Saturday the 18th to 12pm Sunday the 19th at St. Edwards University, 3001 S. Congress Ave., Austin in the Ragsdale Center. Guest speakers will include Bill White, John Sharp, Young Democrats of America president David Hardt, and BOR's KT Musselman, Matt Glazer, and Rachel Farris!
For more information click here and for information on the Friday night drinks party, click here.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:16 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
April 15, 2009
dBags with teabags
... and I was right. Barely 400 people (News8Austin) showed up at City Hall for the Teabagging and fun. From the looks of the crowd, the majority of them were older folks on SS (hey, y'all, YOU DON'T PAY TAXES. I PAY FOR YOUR LIFE. JUST SAY THANK YOU AND MOVE ON) and the rest of them looked like, well, losers. Overfed and underread losers. Including the dbag in the white shirt smiling while holding a sign that says TAXED ENOUGH.
Anyone wanna lay some money down on a bet that he doesn't pay more than 10k in taxes annually?
But I digress, the point I would REALLY like to make is simply this... in 2007, more than 20k showed up to a rally for President Obama. That same year, more than 1k showed up to see Senator John Edwards. Last year, almost 4k showed up for a Saturday night rally for Hillary Clinton who wasn't even there.
Today, just over 400 people showed up to protest the President and the Democrats. You guys soooo suck.
Posted by mcblogger at 03:12 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Pathetic...
Karl-Thomas over at BOR has more details on the Austin Teabaggin' Event and I just have to say you guys are a bunch of morons.
REP. WAYNE CHRISTIAN? Seriously, that guy? Old boy is a dirt leg. And Peggy Venable has to be the biggest clown of them all representing a stupidly named group called Americans For Prosperity. REALLY, PEGGY? There are Americans who are AGAINST prosperity? I'm going to start a group called Americans For Ignoring Peggy Venable And Her Asshat Allies (AFIPVAHAA, for those of you who are fond of acronyms).
The funny thing about all this is that these people need the folks who will attend these rallies. They will need them if they have any hope of staying in power, a prospect that looks ever bleaker for 39%. What they also need to do is distract them from the fact that these speakers and the party they represent got us into this mess.
And the Democrats are fixing it. Republicans fuck it up, Democrats come in and fix it.
Finally, I hope the city and park cops will be on hand for the throwing of the teabags into Lake Lady Bird. Littering tickets seem more than appropriate and these people can certainly take the time to go fight the citation in municourt... after all, they have nothing better to do on a Wednesday than go to City Hall to listen to fucktards bleat on about the very people trying to save us from a Depression.
Of course, that's nothing new for Republicans. They're great at using national catastrophes as campaign props. You know, look and act tough to hide the fact that you're thoroughly incompetent. It's worked wonders for Buttertroll.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 13, 2009
In my time of need...
...none of you bitches showed up to help. I hate you all.
I guess, for most of you (SISTER RUTH) being somewhere at 8:30 in the morning was just too much to ask. However, I tapped my inner strength and resolve which enabled me to fight the man and get a ruling of NOT GUILTY from the court. And no, I chose not to defend myself in the style of disgraced former Governor Blagojevich.
So, yeah, thanks for nothing, freaks.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:40 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
April 10, 2009
Muni court... oh, how I hate thee...
My little citation for running a stop sign (which was based on the accusations of an officer who couldn't see the intersection clearly) is set for trial on Monday at 8:30 in the morning. Meanwhile, I'm still gathering information for my defense (no joke, I'm actually to doing some prep work for this) and asked for a continuance... which was denied.
So, Monday morning bright and early I'll be in courtroom three in that horrible little building off 35 at 7th. Come in, say hello and watch me get pushed through the sausage grinder of municourt.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 09, 2009
SB 220 - Senate D's galatic fuck up.
To start with, I should be honest. SB 220, or as it's been more aptly named by a number of folks, THE TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED CONVERSION OF PUBLIC ROADS TO TOLL ROADS BILL, passed the Senate with a vote of all 31 Senators last Wednesday. Not a single Democrat or Republican stood in opposition. Which really makes them all 39%'s bitch. Or Cintra-Zachry/Bluebonnet's, depending on who exactly is lubing them up.
Our own Senator Watson, whom I've tried to give the benefit of the doubt, voted FOR this piece of legislation which allows TXDOT to very easily turn existing, taxpayer funded, public roads into a toll roads. It does nothing to fix the long term funding hole in Texas for infrastructure. It does make it infinitely easier to convert an existing highway into a toll road. Why would Senator Watson do such a thing? My guess would be it's because we need roads and rather than standing up for our long term interests, he's caving to the shallow desires of toll interests and the short sighted Greater Austin Chamber crowd dying to get the roads built as tollways now. Sounds great until you realize you can't just get out of this a few years later... this is one horrendous marriage we're going to be trapped in.
I've given Senator Watson almost two weeks to just TELL US WHY he voted for the bill. He failed to respond, probably because he was working on another craptastic edition of his hokey 'what's up' email, the Watson Wire. Either that or he was thinking of taking another gutsy stand on giving poor kids insurance, which is really gutsy here in Austin where we give the homeless health insurance. Or, maybe he was just grandstanding on the budget. Speaking of, here's my favorite part...
"It's just kicking the can down the road without making the structural changes we need to in the budget," said Watson.
Yeah, no foolin' you, is there Kirk? Shame you couldn't pick up on how much 220 was doing, functionally, the same goddamn thing and soaking Texas taxpayers in the process.
There's an old saying that Democrats are their own worst enemies. It's true as hell in this case as they are alienating the very voters they need to be swinging towards us. Good job, Senate D's! What, you really thought no one would notice? Or did you just buy Sen. Nichols sales pitch hook, line and sinker?
The worst part is that you denied us an issue with which to browbeat Republicans in 2010. Now, you'll try to cover your ass by whining about bipartisanship and getting something done to help alleviate infrastructure problems. But it's all bullshit and you're a bunch of weak goddamn sisters who've done far too little research.
Actually, that may be going a bit too far. We'll still beat the R's with it, but some of y'all are going to get hit as well. It's called collateral damage. And if you don't get hit with SB 220, you will sure as hell get hit with SB 17.
You folks are supposed to be SMARTER than the Republicans. ACT LIKE IT.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:52 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
April 04, 2009
NEW FEATURE! Things we're blaming on You People!
Yes, we're all about giving you MORE at McBlogger. MORE facetiousness. MORE vitriol. MORE bile and yes, MORE blame.
However, we're doing something a little different this time out. Instead of telling you about something horrible and who's to blame for it, we're going to use this topic to discuss something WE don't like. And then we'll blame you for it.
In this, our inaugural edition of Things we're blaming on You People, we turn to the weather. This afternoon, not long after we woke up, we went outside for a cigarette to discover that the humidity had ticked up. And we're reasonably certain it's the fault of You People.
So think about that and maybe consider pulling some of the wetness out of the air, K.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 03, 2009
My bad...
In my post yesterday about the Mayor's race, I wrote that Release The McCracken hadn't been endorsed by any group. A fucking bitch lovely reader pointed out that he split the ALGPC endorsement with Lee Leffingwell.
In our defense, we DID go to Brewster's website... he just didn't have it listed.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 02, 2009
You're a loser, Brewster. A LOSER.
For the title, I'd like to offer my apologies to everyone responsible for what everyone obviously considers one of the best movies of all time, Brewster's Millions. I want to apologize because anything comparing Release The McCracken to such an awesome movie is, well, kinda offensive.
Last weekend, Brewster lost some endorsements including UDems, Central Austin Democrats and Southwest Austin Democrats. This means that, to date, no organization has endorsed Brewster. Which made me kinda sad for Brewster until I remembered that I only have empathy for people who don't suck and Brewster doesn't, you know, fall into that group.
Then Brewster, apparently sensing the pressure from Lee and his team, decided to release some lame little video that was way too long about the differences between Brewster and Lee (as seen through the lens of Brewster's fecund little rat brain). Unfortunately, the video was viewed only 150 times because Brewster ripped the music in it from an artist who hadn't granted him permission. Here's what the artist had to say...
"I'm a working musician, and I certainly don't appreciate having my music stolen," said Josh Ramstek, aka Captain Josh, of Orlando. "Everybody knows that Austin is one of America's great music towns, so I'm sure all the working musicians there will appreciate exactly how it makes me feel to learn that my song was used in somebody's campaign commercial without my permission. I'm not happy about it, to say the least."Captain Josh said he will play a benefit concert for Leffingwell in Austin at Leffingwell's downtown campaign headquarters as part of a scheduled tour through Texas in early May. "I don't know anything at all about the mayor's race in Austin," said Ramsteck , "but I do know that if one guy is willing to steal somebody's music for his campaign commercial, then I'm for the other guy." The benefit concert is set for 6 PM on Monday, May 4th.
Seriously, y'all, can you think of a bigger campaign fail in recent memory? OTHER than Alaska Governor and former Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin?
Posted by mcblogger at 11:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
So long, Time Warner
Tiered pricing? Oh. Hell. No.
Roll this and I'll not only get rid of your shitty internet access, I'll also trash your digital phone and your shitty cable.
(HT to K-T workin' the twitter)
Posted by mcblogger at 12:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 28, 2009
Endorsements on a Saturday
As of early January, I am now a member of CAD. Which is great, except for one thing... the city council endorsement meeting is today. At 10. In the morning.
I will never understand why humanity just doesn't make a deal with itself to not have meetings before noon on Saturdays.
Posted by mcblogger at 08:22 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 23, 2009
Another Chemistry match
see more pwn and owned pictures
Hawt. Would someone kill me now?
Posted by mcblogger at 02:57 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Shorter Ben Wear : Nichols column
Sen. Nichols supported tolling before he was elected. He still supports tolling now. Sen. Nichols likes to dress fancy and he likes to privatize roads. He's written some new legislation that will make privatization less of a gang rape of Texas taxpayers and more of a date rape. With rohypnol.
Seriously, Ben, did it ever occur to you to ask Nichols why he has such a laser like focus on making a shitty deal smell just less shitty, rather than admitting the error and killing the shitty deal? Is it a built in ideological bias or just stupidity?
Oh, and just FYI for all you financial geniuses on the R side (and a few pro-PPP D's)... the State can sell bonds more cheaply than your good friends at Macquarie and Cintra. Which means their cost of capital is higher than ours. Now, given that indisputable fact, where exactly is the cost efficiency that the private partners will realize to offset their higher capital costs?
This really is retarded. PPP is a waste of time searching for a transportation magic bullet. Y'all need to sac up and fix the problem rather than trying to make a bad situation slightly better.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 19, 2009
That won't address the problem, Mikey
Dell is releasing a new premium laptop line called RAMADA. Or maybe it's ADAMO. Yeah, actually that last one sounds like Admiral Adama from Battlestar Galactica which I'm certain is what the nerds in Round Rock were aiming for.
It's premium because it costs far more than the normal Dell fare and has design features that supposedly will make it compete with Macs and HP's new VoodooEnvy line. Which is bullshit because deep down it'll still be the same shitty Dell you haven't been buying for years.
You know what the problem is at that goddamn company? Their computers suck, their customer service is for shit and they managed to fuck up the only thing they did well... putting together a decent box at an affordable price. What the hell was so wrong with just sticking to what you do well?
Posted by mcblogger at 09:42 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 18, 2009
For Sister Ruth
see more pwn and owned pictures
Posted by mcblogger at 03:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 17, 2009
Oh. Yeah. I just remembered about that...
Well, at least now we know why we weren't on the Statesman's blog A-List...
BOR is currently the number one with an hour to go. And we like K-T and Matt so it's all good in the 'hood. We're just glad it wasn't Eugene Sepulveda, who consistently manages to defy enjoyment, much like chutney.
Oh, and to the peeps who sent in write in ballots, love ya lots!
Posted by mcblogger at 09:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Things I won't be doing...
As it turns out, I can't buy a ticket to the Deadmau5 show tomorrow until the night of which means I have to cab down there, wait while all the badges and wristbands go in, then maybe (possibly) I will get to go.
So, I'm probably going to the show in SA instead. Oh, and to the little monkey working for Black who told me it would be OK if I didn't get in (because there were a bunch of other shows going on and I could go see one of them), I ONLY WANTED TO SEE DEADMAU5, not the other shitty bands.
I leave you with this, my 2006 rant about SXSW. It's just as good today as it was then.
Posted by mcblogger at 02:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
I get to go to court
About six weeks ago, I got a ticket for running a stop sign. My 'case' is set for an appearance docket tomorrow at which I will try to negotiate a settlement. And no, I'm not going to pay it... I didn't run the damn sign.
So, if you're around Muni court tomorrow around 9:30, stop in and say hello.
And Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Posted by mcblogger at 08:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 13, 2009
Not exactly LIVE blogging
Not that there's much reason for you to notice, but Austin360.com, the "entertainment" component of the Slag's cyber empire is running one of those internet polls on best Austin Blogger. A few things that I have noticed:
For some reason they've managed to miss Austin's Angriest Blogger
All the Blogs of Color are at the back of the list for some curious reason
One of those blogs has been dead for almost a year
Now, don't get me wrong. I loved Pink Dome. It was one of the few blogs I actually read just about every day. But PD got a real job last spring and since then his blog has drifted abandoned, a Marie Celeste in HTML. You'd really think that a hip and happening crew like the Statesman's A-List people might have picked up on that by now.
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 10:27 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 10, 2009
Just what we need...
Austin businessman Jack McDonald has decided he wants to run for CD10, because everyone knows being a Congressman is a cool gig. I think it's a mistake because I don't really think he brings anything to the table that isn't already being provided. By Rep. McCaul.
No, I still think McCaul's a walking, talking douche. However, you aren't to beat him by being the 'businessman' candidate.
But the 45-year-old lawyer-business, who’s ceo of Austin-based Perficient, said he and his wife, Carla, have been encouraged by Democrats, independents and Republicans who’d like to see someone with business experience in Congress at a time the national and international economy need attention.McDonald, who’s been involved in luring companies to Central Texas in roles with the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and other civic ventures, said: “I’m in this race because I think we can do better than what we’ve got today. We need people in Washington that understand the way the real world works—-people who have created jobs, who have run a business… I don’t think we have that kind of leadership in Congress today.”
While he wasn’t laying out an entire platform in our conversation, McDonald said he’d focus on setting politicies out of Washington promoting job creation by small businesses. He mentioned Small Business Administration loans, reduced capital gains taxes and steps that would promote capital and venture capital formation.
GREAT. ANOTHER Chamber asshat who is in love with privatizing roads. Which is great because polling from last year shows the district is about 80% anti-toll. And talk about politically inept... the GACC is hated by almost exactly the same group of people he'll need to get through the primary.*
Then there's that last paragraph. I'm all for enhanced SBA loans... I think it would be a great idea to open them up to conform to the needs to small business owners from microlending all the way to large scale expansion loans. Problem is, SBA lending is frozen like the rest of the economy. I'd love his ideas on how to unfreeze that lending.
The real meat is his EARTH SHATTERING, GIMPTASTIC IDEA to cut capital gains taxes. Which really doesn't spur long term investment, it spurs short term speculation. Having just come out of a speculative bubble caused, in no small part, by reductions in capital gains taxation, it would be nice to hear something from someone running for office about how to avoid them. Not how to start the next one.
No, Jack, Washington doesn't need your special brand of business savvy. And welcome to the Democratic Primary. I can't wait to meet you at endorsement meetings. This was just an A1 EXCELLENT way to enter the fray.
This district ain't going to elect a blue dog, Jack. It'll either elect a Democrat or a Republican. Pick one and be that.
*Just as a side note, I don't hate the Chamber when it's in the background. But when we disagree on something, they should REALLY just take my position. It's the right one, usually.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 09, 2009
We're all imperfect...
... some just happen to be less perfect than others. Take the Statesman Ed Board, for example. Recently they took Councilmember Leffingwell to task for shit that he didn't do. So, he wrote a response. K-T has more.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 07, 2009
Old Lady Is Missing Alert
Last night I was on 183 heading home and noticed the Amber Alert signs where flashing... about MISSING ELDERLY IN GARLAND. Which is not at all unusual since 95% of the time the signs are going off because someone let their grandma out of the home and she's loose on LBJ. Or the 30 heading toward central Dallas.
Seriously, when was the last time YOU saw the signs going off for a missing or abducted child?
Posted by mcblogger at 10:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 05, 2009
Shorter Ben Wear
The train was really pretty. And very red. And really fast. And a bunch of people will probably ride it.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 26, 2009
Kelso nails Keller
As it turns out, Judge Keller was late getting her response together for her judicial misconduct hearing. So she got an extension. Kelso beats her.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 25, 2009
Leffingwell : Why I'm running...
This part of an excellent post by Lee Leffingwell over at BOR on why he's running for Mayor.
After many months of consideration, the reason that I finally decided to run is pretty simple. I’m running because I believe I know the direction Austin needs to go at this critical crossroads, and I feel confident that I can help lead us in that direction.
As of now, most of Austin hasn’t yet experienced the full impact of the national recession. But times are already very tough for lots of people in our community, and they seem likely to get worse before they get better.
For City Hall – just like for any struggling Austin family – that means having less money to spend, but just as many basic expenses to cover. And like any family, City Hall now faces some very hard choices – choices that could help determine if Austin moves steadily in the direction of a healthy recovery, or swiftly in the direction of a deepening recession.
I believe that right now we need a new leader in the mayor’s office who can and will stay focused on the fundamentals of our quality of life: jobs, traffic, public safety, social services, environmental protection, and effective, efficient basic services and infrastructure.
I also believe our next mayor must be committed to building renewed trust between City Hall and the citizens of Austin. Austin city government should be more inclusive, more transparent, and more accountable, and there is some real work to do in the years ahead to make it so.
I’ve said many times since announcing my candidacy for mayor last month that this race should be a contest of ideas for a city of ideas. That’s why I’ve laid out what I believe is the broadest and most specific platform of any candidate in the race to help us get through the tough times ahead and get back on track to a better future.
There's more here...
Posted by mcblogger at 09:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 24, 2009
Release The McCracken loses endorsement
In a sad turn of events for RTM, Rep. Eddie Rodriguez has endorsed Lee Leffingwell...
We’re very proud to announce that State Representative Eddie Rodriguez has endorsed Lee Leffingwell for Austin mayor. Eddie represents District 51 in the Texas House of Representatives, which encompasses most of East Austin, just south of MLK Boulevard.
This presents a MARVELOUS opportunity to release this, our new picture of Brewster...
You can totally tell this was done my someone other than me due to the fact that it betrays talent. And skill.
In other news, RTM hosted some kind of a creative convergence thing. It's all about 'creatives', which is pretty much limited to people who call themselves creative because they are working on an 'awesome project that just needs a producer to believe in it'. Or at least that's what they say when they're tying up valuable outside tables at Red House while sipping on a beer FOR TWO HOURS, doodling on a blank page and chatting with a friend as an Umberto Eco book sits on the table, unopened. They also work in film, music, panhandling, selling shit on the Drag and food service.
The event was held at Momo's. No information was available at post time regarding what was done with the 40-something single women that usually fill up Momo's while waiting for a drunk fratboy from J. Black's to accidentally stumble in because he thought it was The Ranch.
I really tried to cover everyone with this post. If there was anyone I failed to offend, accept my apologies and please, keep coming back! We're sure to say something that will anger you in time!
Posted by mcblogger at 01:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 17, 2009
Business FAIL
When the going gets tough, some go cycling on the 360.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 05, 2009
Austin Mayor's Race, or, Teh Funny
Well, I'm sorry about the quality. I'm spot on about the content.
Lee has proven through his steadfast support of Austin's public safety agencies, and particlarly it's public safety workers, that he is the right candidate for Mayor. He will face tough decisions with the struggling economy and he will have to work closely with firefighters, police officers and paramedics to ensure our outstanding public safety service delivery doesn't suffer. Lee has the skills and ability to see us through and the credibility needed to keep the confidence of Austin's public safety workers as they continue to be asked to do more with less.
Stephen Truesdell President, Austin Firefighters' Association
Seriously, go read that bio. All that's missing are lepers and turning water into wine. Well, I guess you could say the crucifixion is also missing but it's pretty early in the campaign season. He does look kinda cute in the pic on the website which is a mitigating factor.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 03, 2009
McCain? Oh, bitch, you don't want to start name calling.
You know, I've been putting off posting about this for more than a week, mostly because I've been busy with real work as opposed to Brewster who is busy taking credit for things he really didn't do. Oh, and changing his mind about where he stands on issues. However, I guess it's time to say something about it...
“You may have heard that both of Brewster’s opponents have chosen to run on the John McCain campaign message: ‘a steady hand in troubled times.’ Brewster believes we need to expect more of Austin’s next mayor than simply trying to hunker down and weather the storm for a few years. In fact, that approach would cost us valuable time while other regions work to establish leadership in the emerging job sectors of the 21st Century Economy.”
So now Lee is John McCain? What does that make you, Brewster? Sarah Palin? I mean, you're certainly not President Obama or anyone on the Democratic side. Actually, you really ARE a lot like Palin, always loving the attention, just like a stupid little puppy, and taking credit for things you didn't do while hiding from the crap you did.
I've heard Brewster called a weathervane. I've heard him called a windsock. I've heard him called a flip-flop. All of these are accurate but I think the term that works even better is TOFU because of his ability to take on whatever message or issue the constituency he's talking to at the time cares about.
And if there's one thing I know we need right now, it's innovation and leadership, with balls. Not a meat substitute.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Uniball and the Magic Smoking Crusade...
Why is it that EVERY FUCKING ARTICLE about Lance Armstrong has to mention that he's a survivor of testicular cancer, especially when the article is about a smoking ban?
Seriously, smoking doesn't give you ball cancer. Bad genetics and doping are usually the factors that cause testicular cancer. I just don't understand why it has to be mentioned in the same damn sentence. Take this one, for example, from an article about the roll out of the anti-smoking anywhere crusade...
On Thursday, when seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong stood outside the Texas Capitol to tell supporters that he was calling on lawmakers to support a statewide smoking ban, about seven protesters held signs telling him to "butt out" or "Go back to France."
The funny thing? This is an article about the protesters being treated unfairly by State Troopers, not about the ban or Lance Armstrong. The press falls all over this guy but really, everyone else is just sick of his shit. Of course, they're really going to enjoy him telling them that they can't have a drink and a cigarette at a bar.
I'll let you all in on a little secret... we smoke to make the annoying losers like Lance Armstrong go away. We don't want you little pipsqueaks around, get it? If you've ever whined about a club or a bar being 'smokey', you're one of those people. People stopped inviting you out because, really, you're a goddamn drag.
Just wanted you to know.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 28, 2009
Did you ever see a 4-named Granny?
I finally saw The Wrestler this past weekend and it met some pretty high expectations. Mickey Rourke put his heart and soul into this movie (even if maybe he was just playing himself) and nekkid Marisa Tomei on the big screen just never gets old (to hell with the losers at Cheeques, I'd still buy a dance, Marisa!).
Today, as I pondered the ho-hum state of Austin's mayoral race, it hit me: The Wrestler's protagonist, Randy "The Ram" Robinson, is the perfect metaphor for Mayoral Candidate Carole Fournames Cougar Mellencamp Jingleheimerschmidt. For those of you who have seen the movie, consider the following:
The Ram made a name and a career out of being a good faker;
The Ram is 20 years past his prime but still mentally stuck in the Eighties;
The Ram is only happy when he's putting on a show for a crowd;
The Ram continues down the same path despite clear repeated signs it's time to quit;
and finally....wait for it.....
Randy "The Ram" Robinson's legal name is Robin Radzinski - THAT'S FIVE NAMES!
Come to think of it, maybe a free-for-all-rasslin' match is just what the mayoral race needs. I've got no use for Carole as a politician, but I'd pay good money and close attention to see her climb the cornerpost and treat Release the McCracken to a Jersey-style Ram Jam. Lee Leffingwell would probably be more interesting if he wore a Lucha Libre mask, too.
Posted by hbalczak at 11:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
What everyone in Austin would like to know...
Can we have some rain for, I don't know, a few weeks? Please?
Posted by mcblogger at 09:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 23, 2009
Endorsing Bowel Movement
Eugene Sepulveda has decided to endorse Bowel Movement (whom you all affectionately know as Release The McCracken) for Mayor.
I am suporting Brewster McCracken for mayor because he is a tireless worker with much vision and ambition. He's got the energy to work even longer hours than a man of his even relatively young age and he connects with voters in the progressive, business, youth, minority, LGBT and suburban communities. We don't always agree on all issues, but he explains his thoughts and his decision process always sounds fair. We especially need a hands on mayor as well as a visionary at this challenging time. For this and many other reasons, Brewster is the right man in the right place.
Goddamn! Only in Austin would a respected community activist endorse RECA's bitch for mayor. Oh, and Eugene, as a member of the LGBT community, I can tell you Brewster connects about as well with us as a club to our heads.
One last thing... if you really want to know what got me on this, it's
We don't always agree on all issues, but he explains his thoughts and his decision process always sounds fair.
You mean, when he explains his decision and the thought process that led to it, it sounds fair? Well, as long as it sounds fair. Because after all, appearance and attempt is far more important than actually, you know, doing something.
Posted by mcblogger at 12:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 22, 2009
Austin Home Sales
Worse still in December but looking a lot better. Which means I'll be blogging a lot less because I'm going to be hella busy.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:30 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 21, 2009
Release The McCracken drops the M bomb
That's right, kids! Austin FAVORITE twerpy freelance copyrighter is back this time shilling for Release The McCracken. Well, not really shilling so much as acting like a Concerned Citizen asking RTM some 'random' questions. On some radio show that broadcasts Sunday nights when most are out having drinks (show McBlogger raising his hand) and apparently likes to have on the most loathsome people in the universe.
Lisa Fritsch: Jason, welcome to KLBJ.
Jason Meeker: Thank you for having Brewster on tonight. That's great. I hope you have all the candidates on. I have a question for Brewster but it has something to do with something that Lee Leffingwell has put in his platform, and maybe he can illuminate us on this. Lee Leffingwell said something about he wanted to have a program where people could buy credits to offset their carbon emissions. Is this another thing that the politicians want to do to take more money out of our pockets? What is that?
Brewster McCracken: Yeah, I'm not really sure about what he's talking about on that, Jason. And also I saw that he's saying he wants to have a $500 million dollar bond election in 12 months.
Lisa Fritsch: Do you agree with that ?
Brewster McCracken: No I don't. You know, we are having to freeze hiring at the City of Austin. People's family budgets are hurting. I don't think trying to do a massive bond election in 12 months makes sense. And the idea that Jason brings up, I think this is the wrong time to be socking people's pocketbooks. We need to be all hands on deck trying to create jobs for the future.
Jason Meeker: Yeah, I think that's the way to go. I understand that there's a concern with green technologies and a green economy, but penalizing people or giving them this thing where they have to buy credits that obviously this credit is something to offset a cost somewhere else, I don't know, I think that needs some explanation, and I don't like it already.
Lisa Fritsch: I don't think people are ready to be going to buy like a gift card to say you're a good person for the environment. I just don't think we are there yet at all.
Jason Meeker: Thanks Brewster! Thanks for running for mayor!
Brewster McCracken: Thanks, Jason. You know another area where Lee Leffingwell and I are different is that Lee was in favor of prohibiting homeowners from selling their homes until they got a government-approved energy upgrade on their home they were selling. I did not think that was a good idea. You know, I think that we should be helping people sell their homes not prohibiting them from doing it.
Lisa Fritsch: Oh, the whole thing that you had to go through all these hoops to make sure your home was green enough in these areas. Wrong idea.
Brewster McCracken: Yeah, I think it was, too.
Is it just me or can you almost smell Brewster's cock on Jason's breath when reading this?
So, let's rip into this...
1) Brewster LOVED floating a bond to fund a light rail package nine months ago. What's changed his mind? Certainly not the economy, it must be that he's NOW RUNNING FOR MAYOR. I mean, come on... why worry about a project that's going to spur job growth and give Austin a much needed asset when you can score cheap political points talking about fiscal responsibility! Especially since the Fed's are about to shit money all over the country on projects JUST LIKE THIS. With leaders like Brewster it'll be no time at all until Round Rock is the most populous city in Austin metro.
2) The carbon credit was, you know, an idea to do something to help the environment VOLUNTARILY. Like when we contract with AE to buy electricity from renewable sources. It's called a market solution and most capitalists LOVE it. So, the question now becomes, WHY DOES BREWSTER HATE CAPITALISM?
3) As for the 'government-approved energy upgrade', that was what Brewster proposed when he co-sponsored the ACPP. It was Lee and others on Council who opposed that in favor of an energy audit to let homeowners know about energy deficiencies. Much like that time Lee and others supported taking some of Toby's power away and Brewster obsequiously gave in to the evil that is Toby.
In the end, the only thing that's clear is that Brewster doesn't like his own ideas when they become inconvenient AND he likes to lie about where his opponent stands. He also thinks that working with the worst politician in Austin will help him, which is understandable since they both have the ability to turn a room full of undecideds into haters.
(Tip o the hat to Karl-Thomas who was paying attention to the Statesman today)
Posted by mcblogger at 08:45 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 20, 2009
This week in the Credit Crunch
It was foolishly easy credit that got us into this mess. A government-mandated return to such lending is not a viable solution.Ordering the bankers to make loans is both simple and satisfying. But it will not fix the economy or the financial system.
Now, I've seen my share of stupid pap in the NYT. Even Krugman's been guilty from time to time. However, this is just pure bullshit. NO ONE is asking the banks to return to their old bad habits. All anyone is asking is for them to get back to work lending to good credits, WHICH THEY AREN'T DOING. For example, last Friday my company and several others were forced to increase fees on conventional loans related to 'elevated' risk. However, this is so broad based that it hits every credit class and loan to value ratio. This flies in the face of Treasuries intention to buy MBS in the open market to increase demand to the level that rates fall into the mid-4% range.
In other words, while rates might be falling, fees are increasing scrubbing out the net gain for the consumer.
In the late 1980's there was a joke going around in Texas about a company called North Carolina National Bank which had taken over several insolvent thrifts. The logo was NCNB which was jokingly said to be an acronym for No Cash (for) No Body. The successor bank to NCNB is Bank of America which is sitting on a ton of government money.
It is absolutely critical that credit be loosened for companies. It IS the only thing that will keep the recession from deepening. The bankers say they'll lend when the economy turns. What they don't seem to understand is that it can't turn without credit.
What irritates me most is the assumption that people are staying out of bank stocks because of possible nationalization. If that's such a damn concern, why aren't these bankers doing everything in their power to make sure that doesn't occur? Frankly, not to put too fine a point on it, we the people delegate to the government the responsibility to charter and regulate banks to create a financial system that will benefit us all. Banks are not operating in good faith and, frankly, stocks be damned, it would be a good idea to put some fear into them by nationalizing one of them.
Finally, while it's true you don't fix the sins of the past by continuing the bad behavior, you certainly don't go overboard and cut off the good behavior as well. The credit crunch, despite all the crap, is ongoing mostly because some chickenshit bankers are overreacting on the downside just as they did on the upside. In short, incompetent men and women like Ken Lewis at Bank of America are, in fact, making a bad situation a great deal worse.
First off, I love Roubini but I think this is really offbase. Let's take derivatives off the table since most of the contracts have been unwound. So, you're left with the bad loans... now, with a bad credit, you will still have an underlying asset. Usually, in liquidation, you will recover up to 80%. Let's say recovery is only 50%. That means Roubini thinks that up to $7.2 trillion, about a third of all loans outstanding, will go bad. Which could happen if the economy really went into a tailspin. Problem is, it isn't. Commodities prices are in freefall which is lowering the cost of living creating a net wage increase for all those still employed. Unemployment stands, right now, most likely around 10% and may decay another 1% but not much beyond that. We have a stimulus plan which, while not much, WILL drive a return to growth and when that happens you'll see more of the money pour into wages and paying debts which will stem losses.
Without those write downs, stability will return to the marketable assets and the balance sheets of the banks (that is, of course, if they start rebuilding their book of business by lending again) which effectively put a cap on further losses. To this point the banks have written down more than $1 trillion, mostly on paper losses unrealized due to market conditions. I think the losses will wind down this quarter and will cap at around $1.3 trillion.
“We are very pleased the Treasury Department determined our organization an attractive investment opportunity,” said Jeffrey Nash, president and CEO of Treaty Oak Bancorp and Treaty Oak Bank. “Our bank continues to grow requiring additional capital. We had not initially anticipated participating in the CPP Program but given our appetite for capital and the attractive terms of this issuance it was an easy decision for our board of directors when Treasury informed us they had selected our bank.”
Posted by mcblogger at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 19, 2009
Austin Needs Lee!
A few days ago I got an email from someone named Ted Siff asking me to support the effort to Draft Lee Leffingwell. Given how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE Release The McCracken, I thought to myself that maybe this is something I can get behind. But still, I hesitated... I was bound up by a feeling of dread not unlike the one you get immediately after placing an order at Taco Bell.
What if Lee stands us up? What if, at the end of the night, we end up having to catch a ride with RTM?
Oh, who the fuck am I kidding? I've always liked Lee better than Brewster and thank GOD he finally announced this past weekend! So now it's Brewster vs Lee with some other people playing supporting roles (Can't Let The Past Go, Fuckball and So Crazy I Eat My Own Dook). I've always liked just about every other human on the planet more than Brewster. Seriously, I think Brewster's campaign is less about a person who really wants to do something for Austin and more about one egomaniac and his desire to masturbate using an election.
Which we think is pretty gross and will likely require us to take a Silkwood shower. Click here to donate to Lee!
Posted by mcblogger at 10:23 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 16, 2009
While I've been away...
...the Mayor's race and Council races have really gotten exciting. Well, exciting if you're a battery chicken. For the rest of us, it's pretty fucking boring.
I will be back tonight. Have a drink waiting for me.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 15, 2009
Tollway traffic down in Centex
Oh, Jesus H. Christ, Ben. This is a short term blip based on a temporary recession. This was the funny part
Aside from any financial troubles existing roads might experience, does this tepid revenue mean that toll authorities in Austin might have trouble securing loans for the five other roads approved last year?"I don't think so," said Michael Walton , who holds the Ernest H. Cockrell chair in engineering at the University of Texas and is a transportation consultant. "I don't believe it's a significant long-term problem because we're in the early stages of development on those roads. As they become more of the economic fabric, then utilization will continue to grow."
We ALL acknowledge we need roads and people are using the tollways. Granted not as much as the rosy projections may have led investors in the bonds to believe, but they are using them and that will increase over time. BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONLY OPTION. The IB's LOVE these deals and they aren't going away any time soon, even if they have to be put on the backburner for a while due to the credit contraction. After all, where else can Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley get a government guaranteed high yield return? Certainly not in Treasuries.
What Ben missed, again, was the central issue : How do we pay for the infrastructure we need? The argument has ALWAYS been about funding our infrastructure. Do we want tolls that soak a relative few or gas taxes that are affordable by many and more evenly distribute the cost of infrastructure to ALL beneficiaries of improved infrastructure?
Some will tell you that it's unfair for the people in the central city to pay for infrastructure for rich suburbanites. You'll have to forgive them for not knowing that the average home sales prices in suburban counties are usually lower than those in the cities and that people live out there because it's what they can afford. Some of them, just FYI, don't even come into the city, while those in the city frequently drive out there (I'm one of them). Others will bitch and moan about congestion pricing as if it's some kind of panacea that will make traffic go away. Which it won't. It certainly hasn't improved the 405 in OC which, despite all the bullshit flying around in Austin, is still clogged like a fat guy's arteries.
Frankly, I'm sick of the fucking debate and ready to let you poor people sit in goddamn traffic while I enjoy the Lexus lane. It's clear to me you're too goddamn stupid to get that you're voting against your own self-interest. It's also obvious that a lot of Democrats are in love with public private partnerships that are really more about government backstopping the losses of private investors who, in effect, put nothing at risk. Some of you electeds are so dazzled by the bankers from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley that you're oblivious to the fact that these folks, though they did better than the people at Bear Stearns and Lehman, are only around because of the Government. They aren't wizards or geniuses. In fact, many of them were about two weeks from being bankrupt and unemployed.
Posted by mcblogger at 08:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 12, 2009
A la recherche du temps askew
So the word today is that Carole Strayhorn, who likes to be called "One Tough Grandma", wants to be mayor again. She held that office when I first came to Austin thirty years ago. I guess that would have made her One Tough Mutha back in those days, although most people I knew referred to her as Ms. Piggy. It's going to be very fashionable on the liberal blogs to trash her, but frankly, after eight years of Bush and six of Craddick, after Tom DeLay and redistricting and re-redistricting and re-re-redistricting, I'm afraid my inner pool of outrage and scorn is all dried up.
Honestly, I think a person would have to be insane to want to serve on the Austin City Council. Carole should know better.
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 06:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Yes. We know about Ms. Piggy
For those of you who have asked... YES, we are aware that Carol Strayhorn will run for Mayor. Honestly, she hasn't announced yet and frankly we haven't really had enough time to generate anything that appropriately derisive.
While you're waiting, we'd like to ask who you think is more attractive:
Carol Longname
OR Ernest Borgnine
Answer in the comments, kids!
UPDATE - The folks at BOR have been working on this...
Posted by mcblogger at 07:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 11, 2009
The O Store
Apparently, Glen Maxey has opened a store at 1111 E. 11th Street where he is selling
ALL THINGS OBAMA
If you're not in Austin, please feel free to shop online.
Yes, I know this has been open for two months. I've intended to post something about the store but I keep forgetting. And no, it's not because I'm getting old.
Shut up, bitches.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 08, 2009
If you're in the neighborhood
Around lunch Tuesday, I found myself in Southern WilCo after a meeting broke up. I was, of course, STARVING and completely despondent. Where in this desolate wasteland will I find food that agrees with me, I wondered. And then, I saw it. From 183A, it was like a beacon.
Carl's Jr.
My hopes for a Chili Cheese Six were dashed though because the fucker is apparently not yet open. Still, it's there and soon something yummy will be in my stomach.
(FD... I own stock in Carl's Jr.)
Posted by mcblogger at 10:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 07, 2009
Dear Spelman Campaign
First, I'm THRILLED to death you guys are running for Council and I can't tell you how much I appreciate the invite to your New Year's Eve Pre-Party which was postmarked January 2nd. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend because I can't travel back in time.
Please accept my regrets and I hope you all have a smashing time!
Sincerely,
McB
Posted by mcblogger at 08:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 05, 2009
McCracken me up...
Release the McCracken really is a tragicomic figure in Austin politics. No one really likes him. He has no base. Even his supporters dread him and usually are supporting him because they think he'll do nice things for them like get them zoning variances and not bother them too much about affordable housing in the CBD.
We talked a bit about the Mayoral race a few months ago, mostly focusing on Levy and Carole Strayhorn OldCow. We did mention Brewster and used a picture of Gerald Daugherty instead of Brewster. It was an honest mistake... my picture db is set up by keyword. I typed in 'loathesome, austin' and that's what popped up. I'm ALL the time forgetting that McCracken is filed under 'shameless bottomfeeder, cocksucker, poliwhore, austin'.
I should also mention that Brewster is a spineless cunt, among a class of men I like to call 'spineless cunts'. We'll never forget his ability to fall over himself to satisfy the completely unreasonable demands of The Demon Toby. And we'll also fondly remember Brewster's appointment to that CAMPO working group on mass transit which, coincidentally, did dickall to give us a real public transportation plan. The sad thing is, so many dipshits were on this 'working group' it's little wonder nothing got done. I can see Kirk actually trying to do something while Gerald picked lint out of his navel and Brewster and Krusee groomed one another like apes.
For those of you who really thought Brewster couldn't sink any lower, prepare to be surprised. Now, as an attorney, one would think Brewster would understand the law. Oh, hell. Let's cut the bullshit... Brewster thinks he's got Lee hemmed in with this little stunt because he thinks the City Attorney will issue an opinion that agrees with his thinking. If that doesn't happen Brewster will look craven and cowardly. Actually, now that I think about it, that's what will happen regardless. And then Sarah Coppola HAD to get a quote from Levy the Lunatic.
Former Texas Monthly publisher Mike Levy, who is considering a mayoral run, said Sunday: "If Lee wants to run, it really shouldn't matter if he announces a year or a day before the filing deadline. What I think should be important is whether or not candidates are talking about the issues, especially at a critical time like this for Austin city government."
Run or don't run, Mike. Until you get off the fence, just say 'no comment' when asked for your opinion. It makes you sound like less than a dumbass. What's important is talking about the issues at a critical time like this? Why not just own your ignorance and tell the reporter you really don't understand the issue and can't comment intelligently. Retard.
Kedron Touvell has his take on this at BOR. I should point out that Kedron ran against Brewster in 2006 and lost, mostly because he was unknown and underfunded. If only we'd known better.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 29, 2008
No... here's what you're really pissed about.
The Statesman has an editorial up admonishing the government not to bail out commercial real estate investors and owners. Because you can't bail out everyone.
Actually, as a matter of fact, you really can because you NEVER bail out everyone, you bail out enough to stabilize the system. The most stunning thing to me is that the TARP and TAF have not spurred the banks to lend. There was always a chance that might not happen, but in the end I put the odds on that happening at pretty low because, after all, banks need spread income which they can't get without lending.
Of course, on the upside and the downside, that hasn't happened. So, the Fed and Treasury should use one of their other tools. Nationalization.
This needn't be a painful or difficult process, reminiscent of Chavez or the commies. All they have to do is put the banks into the hands of the FDIC and then FDIC can transfer to the Treasury. However, it has to be done in an obvious, deliberate way. And it needs to be done with the full knowledge of the boards and senior management at all the large banks in the US. They need to understand with absolute clarity that the government will continue this process until they start providing liquidity again.
The reality is that people, even with the intervention of the Government and the sure and certain knowledge that the game is fixed, are still nervous. The only way to get them past that nervousness is to give them something to really be scared about.
And then you won't have to bail out commercial real estate owners and investors. They'll be able to refinance which will help stop the vicious fire sale cycle and allow stability to set into the system.
All this is going to happen. There is a time limit to how far a bear market can run and we're approaching the end, especially with this much cash on the sidelines.
Posted by mcblogger at 12:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 23, 2008
ENOUGH with the mulch piles
New rule... no pile of mulch is to exceed 6 feet high and 10-12 feet wide.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 19, 2008
Goodbye, Jennifer
KT over at BOR posted this video
of Jennifer's last performance at City Hall. Please take a moment to note her civility and that of Councilmembers Leffingwell, He Who Stands and Shade. Lee's "Thank you, Ms. Gale and very pleasant to see you again" brought tears to my eyes. She was always so very pleasant when I saw her.
I will miss her a great deal, mostly because she was one of the funniest people I've ever met. Everything, in all of her speeches, has some sort of connection in her mind. To me, the connection was tenuous at best. I once referred to a speech she gave while campaigning for mayor in 2006 as a comedic tour de force. You can see what I'm talking about in the video above. Everything means something to her but to most it's a random collection of thoughts. To me, it's a brilliantly put together piece of performance art that's thoroughly enjoyable.
I LIVED for endorsement meetings where she would be speaking. I repeatedly told people to video her. Some little idiot years ago told me I was mean for laughing. I told him, rather bluntly, that he was simply too stupid to get the joke.
The funniest things we do or say are usually those we never intended to be funny. To Jennifer, her speeches made sense. But to someone like me, who loves the play of stream of consciousness in very serious settings, it was absolutely hysterical. The individual portions were proposals and ideas; some good, some really awful. It was the abrupt movement from banning styrofoam to decimating half of the buildings downtown that revealed brilliance.
In another place and another time, Jennifer Gale would have been famous around the world. She probably would have wondered why, but I think she would have enjoyed the attention nonetheless.
Godspeed, Jennifer. We're all richer for having known you.
Please consider donating to House The Homeless.
Posted by mcblogger at 02:32 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 08, 2008
McCracken Releases Self
It what will surely be remembered as one of the most depressing events of 2008, Brewster today announced that he's a candidate to be Mayor. Of Austin, for those of you who are susceptible to wishful thinking and thought he'd moved and was running in another city.
He made the announcement at Heliovolt, which was featured in this article in today's Statesman entitled Economic clouds gather over solar energy. The article was about the recession and how it effects solar power system manufacturers not, as you might expect, opportunistic politicos using them as a green springboard to higher office and a fatter ego, destroying them in the process.
The article about Brewster mentions that She With The Many Names is running, Lee Leffingwell is running and Mike "If you thought Rich Oppel was crazy, watch me eat my own doodie" Levy is thinking about running.
The only question I have is why Levy, Carol and Brewster aren't all in a boob hatch in a place where the days are short and mercy is for the weak? And kudos to the Statesman for pointing out some of Brewster's more interesting flip flops, like toll roads (for, against, then for again).
Seriously, haven't these assholes done enough to Austin? Especially Brewster?
Posted by mcblogger at 02:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A different kind of drought
In the Statesman's email this AM, there was a link to a story about the drought we're experiencing. When you clicked on it, it linked to this story. Just in case they pull it down, here's the screen cap...
Posted by mcblogger at 10:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 05, 2008
An awesome idea for the Breckenridge tract
Well, Mayor Wynn sees both sides when it comes to the Lyon's Municipal Golf Course. He sees the phat bank UT could make by selling off the land and he sees the argument of the neighborhood and the people who, you know, play golf there. They don't want a massive increase in traffic and the golfers really don't want to see some cheesy condo on the 8th hole green.
So, I have a brilliant idea. Why don't we ask UT to set aside enough room to build a small driving range and a putt-putt course, along with a bunch of sub-par condo's? That way UT will get it's money, golfers will still have a spot where they can play a little small ball, and the neighbors won't have to worry about traffic.
It's not like the condo's will sell. The ones downtown certainly aren't.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Hitting the skids
What has been obvious to lenders for months is finally getting some attention from the Statesman. The condo market has hit the skids...
Sales at the four towers under construction — the Austonian, the Four Seasons Residences, Spring and W — have slowed to a crawl since the financial crisis exploded in August, although developers all say they have contracts for 45 percent or more of their units.
"In the last two months, what we've seen in other parts of the country for the last two years has finally gripped the psyche of Austin," said Devlin McNamara, a vice president with Bank of America Mortgage, a preferred lender on many of the projects. "Everyone's so blown away by the volatility and uncertainty in the markets that they're hesitant to pull the trigger on anything at this point. ... They're mulling it over in their heads but won't actually commit to anything."
Since Fannie Mae stopped approving condo projects, the market for mortgages on condominium projects has functionally dried up. While many lenders are still writing the loans (including me), we're doing so with many restrictions. Which means you gotta prove income and put some money down. The big surprise out there? A bunch of the units already sold were financed with... wait for it... OPTION ARMS. Those lovely loans will start to reset next year. For any that are based on LIBOR, it's going to cause some problems not to mention a forced recast when the loan balance exceeds the original loan amount by 10%.
If those start to go bad, you could easily see a 50% drop in values on the existing units and the new units will sit vacant. For a while.
Ironically, the one thing that may end up saving the market downtown is a steep price decline. There is tremendous demand for housing in the CBD, the problem even now are the prices. The smart developers who will end up riding this out are the ones who change to building affordable projects with prices under 280m, at least for the majority of the units. And it can be done.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 03, 2008
I'd just like to take a moment to say thanks!
I'd just like to take a moment to say thank you to our wonderful Republican Governor, Republican Lt. Governor and Republican controlled Legislature for their hard work making it exceedingly difficult to get around this state. In fact, your fiscal irresponsibility and failed leadership have given us what I enjoyed Sunday afternoon... a two hundred mile traffic jam.
In case you were wondering, that works out to moving at 33 MPH on a freeway with a speed limit of 70 MPH. However, the only reason the average is so high is that for the limited amount of time there were three lanes, I was able to drive 90 or faster if people moved the hell out of my way. Much of the journey was at 10 miles an hour or less.
So, yeah, I just wanted to say thanks for putting your ideology and retarded ideas first while making the needs of your constituents a very distant second.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 02, 2008
Way to go, CAMPO!
It takes HUEVOS, ginormous brass huevos, to break a promise to constituents. Which is exactly what you did yesterday.
Transportation officials decided to create a financial marriage between two toll roads Monday, a move that could allow the U.S. 290 East tollway project to break ground sometime next year.The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board voted 15-3 to create a tollway system made up of the existing, and profitable, 183-A toll road in Cedar Park and U.S. 290 East, which based on projections will not have sufficient revenue to persuade investors to lend more than a half billion dollars to build it. The existing tollway, which opened in March 2007 and is making a profit of about $5 million a year, will in effect act as a co-signer for the new project.
The U.S. 290 East project would cost $623.5 million, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority says. It involves expanding 6.2 miles of the existing four-lane, divided highway between U.S. 183 in Northeast Austin and Parmer Lane just west of Manor. It would have six toll lanes and six free-to-drive frontage road lanes alongside.
Some CAMPO members objected to the financial partnership Monday, saying it violates the intent of policies adopted in October 2007, when the board approved the U.S. 290 East project and four other potential toll roads. At that time, the board agreed that excess toll revenue from the five roads would be spent first in the general area of each road rather than being used for improvements far afield.
We've just had an election and several of the people sitting on CAMPO are zombies. Why hold this vote with them on there? Why not wait until the new folks are on board?
Of course, if you're going to do that why not just wait for the Feds... it's not like they won't be dumping a massive amount of funding into infrastructure in the next 6 months. Which means, we may not need to toll at all? Isn't it worth sitting things out for a bit?
Granted, it's easy for y'all to vote to toll a road you rarely drive on.
The funny comes from Mike The Moron...
That will still be the case, according to the mobility authority, which operates 183-A and will build and operate U.S. 290 East. Given 183-A's profitable status, they say, no money would need to go from U.S. 290 East to 183-A.In fact, mobility authority Executive Director Mike Heiligenstein said no money is likely to go either direction. The authority says that preliminary traffic and revenue studies show that U.S. 290 East will be able to meet its debt payments and operating costs without any transfer of money from 183-A.
However, investors normally require that toll road revenues be well beyond projected costs. A summary of the traffic analysis released Monday shows that, based on charging 20 cents a mile for U.S. 290 East, the road would make about a 30 percent profit — which Heiligenstein said was not high enough for the mobility authority to borrow the full amount needed to build U.S. 290 East without riding on the back of 183-A.
Actually, Mike, none of the investors bought the traffic projections and JPM's projections, if the information I've received is correct, do not show enough traffic on the road to even cover the debt service. That's the real story which means you're either trying to willfully deceive or you're so far out of the loop that you really think it has something to do with running a 30% profit.
Which means, if the projections are accurate, that some of Bob Lemon's constituents will be paying for a road in East Austin.
Now, tell me how that's different from the gas tax? How is it better?
Posted by mcblogger at 11:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 01, 2008
My new favorite song
If you're at work, be smart. Don't turn your speakers up. And don't play it with your boss behind you unless s/he has a sense of humor.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 24, 2008
Mattox Funeral
Jim Mattox's funeral will be at First Baptist Church at 11:00. Here's a link to the guestbook.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 13, 2008
Austin's Doucherific Mayoral Race!
The Austin mayoral race is shaping up to be a clusterfuck of galactic proportions. First off we have Release The McCracken who is already in superpander mode and will be coming soon to a meeting you're at where he will tell you he's all about ____fill in the issue you care about here____ . No, he's not and he'll turn on it if elected like that fish you had for dinner.
Next up, Strayhorn. NFS, Carole of the Four Names is considering running for her old job. She was Mayor of Austin from 77-83 when we were much smaller. So, obviously we need her back since she's sooooooo much like Austin, old and small. Wait. We're neither which means she's NOTHING LIKE AUSTIN. Carole was a Democrat, then she became a Republican. Now she's a caricature and a cautionary tale for Kay Bailey as she seeks to beat 39% in the 2010 R primary. Many Democrats think Carole is the reason Chris Bell lost in 2006. Which means, at this point, she's absolutely not beloved in this town.
The Statesman, unfortunately, has even more...
Current Council Members Lee Leffingwell and Brewster McCracken are considering runs for mayor. So is Mike Levy, founder and former publisher of Texas Monthly. Two other potential candidates — former Council Members Bill Spelman and Jackie Goodman — have already backed away from the race.
...
Perennial candidate Jennifer Gale has already said she plans to run for mayor, and Austin resident Josiah Ingalls has filed paperwork at the clerk's office appointing himself treasurer of his mayoral campaign. They are the only candidates besides Strayhorn who have filed with the clerk's office.
MIKE FUCKING LEVY. You have got to be kidding me... the asshole who spent so much money, time and energy making Margot Clarke's life hell? The one who has a secret crush on Maxey and thinks Teh Gays are Teh Suck? Exactly what Austin needs. The leadership of a freak.
If Leffingwell doesn't file I'm voting for Jennifer Gale. Either that, or I'LL file just to fuck the whole thing up. Mostly because I can't stand Strayhorn, Levy and Release the McCracken. Such pathetic people deserve nothing but brutal honesty and I'd gladly be the one to offer the critique, especially on Levy who can't seem to get it through his little rat brain that businesses relocate to Austin because of QoL issues and the workforce, basically everything Levy thinks is wrong with Austin.
I can see Mike's slogan now... Austin! Much better without all the pesky Austinites!
Posted by mcblogger at 11:04 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
November 11, 2008
Transportation : Goodbye, Sal and Filing Fun
HB 12 by State Rep. David Leibowitz (D-San Antonio): Would expand the Texas Transportation Commission to 15 members and require that those members be elected by voters.HB 11 by David Leibowitz (D-San Antonio): repeals the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation to establish or operate the Trans-Texas Corridor.
Senators Carona and Nichols also filed some bills today that were largely sops to people who want to kills tolls and the TTC but won't really do much of anything.
Wait... that's unfair. I should point out that I'm making that statement based on previous actions. Who knows, maybe they are serious about transportation this time? If so, it's only taken them 6 years.
One of Carona's bills hands to the Comptroller the ability to reset the gas tax based on construction cost inflation. Honestly, we've been waiting for this for a while, so we're going to withhold judgment. It should pass, but I doubt there are enough people in the Lege bright enough to see that they are punting the issue to another party and taking it off their plate for good.
Posted by mcblogger at 02:53 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Help a brother out, yo!
Austin's own David Mauro who writes at Burnt Orange Report is up for some kind of blogging scholarship thing. I don't really know what it's all about, but I know David and he seems to think this is something he needs. And really, that's all YOU need to know.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
UT refuses to offer domestic partner benefits
Apparently, UT has decided that it 'can't' offer domestic partner benefits because of state law. Which is pretty funny since the City of Austin and my employer do.
With more than 80,000 employees, the University of Texas is one of the largest employers in the state. None of these employees are given the option of domestic partner benefits.On top of watching states around the nation give in to bigotry, UT employees, living in a state that already has a Defense of Marriage Act in place, cannot even offer their partners health protection. It would be a tragedy if, while the battle for marriage rages in blue states, the families of gay and lesbian couples in the red states were left completely unprotected.
The costs are already apparent, as the story of John Clark, a UT professor, shows: "When I received a generous offer from Case Western Reserve that included a substantial salary increase and full domestic partner benefits for Michael Larvey, my partner of 29 years, I was sorely tempted to leave UT. But it was Michael who insisted that I shouldn't disrupt my academic life for his sake. As a self-employed designer, he was paying about $400 per month for health insurance that offered no physician, no prescription plan, and an 80-20 payout after meeting a $5,000 deductible. In fact, when the insurance company raised the premium in October of last year, he decided to go to a 50-50 plan to save $100 per month. In December he went into congestive heart failure and into the hospital twice. [He had two operations.] The second operation (the procedure alone costing $70,000) helped enormously and put him on the mend, but we faced huge medical bills.Two lessons to this bitter tale: 1) If Michael had been paying for UT-Select [The University of Texas medical insurance], he would have had a primary care physician who could have detected the problem before it got so grave; 2) the salary increase I got in my counteroffer from UT didn't help much when it came to Michael's medical bills; they devastated our finances."
Campus groups met with University President Powers, imploring him to offer these benefits – he said he would 'look into it', and returned later citing Texas insurance code that defined couples only as a man and a woman. Yet other universities, with similar laws on the books, have found ways to offer DPB to their employees. President Powers is not exploring these options.
Please take a moment to let UT President Douche Von Doucherson know his excuse is bullshit.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 10, 2008
The perfect housewarming gift
No, really, isn't this cool?
Posted by mcblogger at 03:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
PSA : Kids, don't antagonize your parents
We at McBlogger are in the mood to give back to our community and this time, it's totally not court ordered!!! In that spirit, we'd like to let you little ones reading us know that it's a super bad idea to make your mommy mad. Ok?
Posted by mcblogger at 09:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 05, 2008
Bad? You don't know bad.
Posted by mcblogger at 03:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 04, 2008
Funny times at the Driskill and internal numbers
Team McBlogger (well, most of it) is ensconced at the Driskill having drinks and working the phones. Well, we're having drinks.
We also have some internal numbers...
Up 7 in Colorado 9 in Nevada 5 indiana 5 NC 5 Virginia 8 New Mexico 21 NH 18 mich 2 MO
Don't ask where we got them. We will KILL you before we tell.
Posted by mcblogger at 06:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Like a badge of honor
We are, apparently, not progressive. This will, of course, come as a GREAT BIG SHOCK to those of you who thought we were slaves to ideology rather than intelligent people capable of rational decision making based on actual, you know, facts.
Some site-related issues: I've added and subtracted on the blogroll.It turns out McBlogger is not a progressive. Just a loud and annoying moderate Democrat who happens to be gay and likes to carry water for corporate-interests in the name of Greater Corporatism. Oh well. They don't need my traffic anyway.
All this because of our decision to vote no on Austin Proposition Two. The HYSTERICAL thing is that this could have been done in August when we very clearly laid out not only our opposition but pointed out what a raving lunatic FUCKTARD Linda Curtis was (and, we're sure, still is).
Colin, I'll go with you on the loud part, but annoying? Only to people who get their panties in a twist when we don't completely agree with them. As for the 'gay' thing, well, the authors here are gay and straight (I know! Isn't it WILD that we mix people of DIFFERENT SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS?!?!?!? I just know that Father Joel will have something to say about all that) and frankly, we're a little confused why it would even be mentioned.
So, Colin, we'll be happy to be delisted from your blog since being part of it apparently requires 100% agreement with Colin Kalmbacher Thought. Which would make us dumb if you were actually right about things. We'll wear the delisting like a badge of fucking honor and proudly display it.
And, just for good measure, all of you 'good' progressives out there upset about us not being for this silly proposition (and vaguely threatening us about going against 'The Party') can kiss our collective asses. YOU'RE WRONG ON THIS. Next time, do a better job writing your proposition. Or, to put it another way, please enjoy this visual aid...
Posted by mcblogger at 09:11 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 03, 2008
Roundin' Up The TPA
It is Monday, November 3, 2008. In less than 24 hours, the United States will have elected a new President and Texas will send Rick Noriega to the U.S. Senate and a host of new State Representatives and Senators to Austin.
In the meantime, here is your Election Eve edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's weekly roundup.
Bradley from North Texas Liberal lets us know that you should be careful not to lose your vote if you have to use an electronic voting machine, like TV personality Oprah Winfrey almost did.
jobsanger believes an avalanche of new voters could produce some surprises on election day, including the possibility that Georgia will turn blue, and even though an amazing 23% of Texans think Obama is muslim, a huge turnout in the urban areas and South Texas could produce some surprises in Texas, and early voting totals show this is happening.
Justin at AAA-Fund Blog is glad that 60% of Asian Americans polled in Harris County support the Democrats. He also is glad that voting this year was not a chore as it often feels. Justinurges everyone to support AAA-Fund's five Texas endorsees: Rick Noriega, Al Green, Nick Lampson, Hubert Vo, and Sandra VuLe.
It's been an exciting week for Democrats. First up was Hank Gilbert asking a Cornyn staffer to take a walk from a Rick Noriega event. Then there was Texas Blogger (and current TPA Chair) Vince Leibowitz spanking the Mike McCaul campaign for their amateurish content theft. Finally, we at McBlogger received word that Dr. Dobson had traveled to the future and didn't like what he saw. Which is something you'll probably love.
The Texas Cloverleaf notes that
Barack Obama leads John McCain in fundraising in Denton County of all places! In nonpartisan news, while Obama is raising money, Ron Natinsky is spending it. The Dallas City Councilmember is spending your tax dollars on trinkets bearing his name. In shocking news, a 9 year old is electrocuted by a McCain-Palin yard sign. No, we couldn't make this stuff up if we wanted to.
Vince at Capitol Annex tells us how State Rep. John Davis (R-Clear Lake) is sending out his wife to attack Netroots backed candidate Sherrie Matula (D-Houston). In return, he opens John Davis' own personal Pandora's Box and tells the world about Davis' record.
The Texas Cloverleaf notes that Barack Obama leads John McCain in fundraising in Denton County of all places! In nonpartisan news, while Obama is raising money, Ron Natinsky is spending it. The Dallas City Councilmember is spending your tax dollars on trinkets bearing his name. In shocking news, No, we couldn't make this stuff up if we wanted to.
After record breaking early voting in Williamson County, Eye On Williamson is ready for the general election. The HD-52 race has been the focus of attention this election cycle. The issues concerning voters in HD-52 include the Trans-Texas Corridor, insurance reform, and the economy. No matter the issue Diana Maldonado is the best choice in HD-52.
WhosPlayin looks at the early voting turnout in Texas' 26th Congressional District, and thinks Ken Leach just might be able to upset incumbent Michael Burgess. WhosPlayin asks you to guess whether this incident of political suppression happened in Liberia or Texas. (Hint: It was Harris County, Texas.) Most of all, WhosPlayin wants Denton County residents to get to the polls and VOTE!
Off the Kuff takes his last looks at early voting, and makes fun of some whining by Republican enablers Texans for Lawsuit Reform.
El Paso is going Democratic in a big way. As El Paso goes so should South Texas. CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is looking for a blue, blue
Thanksgiving!
BossKitty at TruthHugger is laments pre-election jitters, Oh The Stress Of It All - Op Ed, and how many years will it take to recover because, Divided We Fall.
Neil at Texas Liberal says think about the future when you vote. Don't be like Galveston voters who in 1886, 14 years before the 1900 hurricane, voted no on building a seawall. Texas Liberal also offers up a post on how Texans have voted for President since 1948, and, finally, submits for your review some election predictions.
Over at TexasKoas, TxSharon tells us that somebody is finally looking at the Barnett Shale Gas Wells . Its called accountability and its about time.
boadicea provides some excellent resources/talking points on the ACORN non-story. Give a look.
Txsharon kicks off a lively debate on the the training of 4000 troops in the use of non-lethal weapons for possible domestic use.
Texas politics is screwed up for at least two obvious reasons this week: because Tom Craddick has his debates sponsored by AT&T -- complete with a lobbyist on the panel, and because 23% of all Texans think Barack Obama is a Muslim. The sad details at Brains and Eggs.
Nat-Wu discusses the long tradition in the Republican of crying wolf about voter fraud in an effort to minorities from legitimately exercising their right to vote, and Xanthippas rips into anti-woman bloggers for brewing up a faux controversy over their DART bus ads.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 02, 2008
Diana, you might want to change your church
Running right up to the line separating the public from the spiritual (AKA, the separation of church and state), Father McNeil at St. William Parish in RR has issued a letter to all parishioners reminding them of their obligation as good Catholics not to vote for those who support abortion. The letter is clearly targeted at Diana Maldonado.
Please note, this is NOT a letter coming from Joel McNeil, this is a letter coming from Father Joel McNeil of the St. William Parish.
The letter also makes mention of the 'redefinition of marriage', a homophobic rhetorical device designed to give otherwise nice people a reason to discriminate at the ballot box. Maldonado has, at no point, indicated her support for equality for gays and lesbians in unions under state law only. So, we have to ask, why DID Father McNeil choose to throw that in? No one is asking him to perform gay marriage ceremonies. The Catholic Church doesn't recognize them. That absolutely would not change, even if there were changes in Federal law. It's that whole 'separation of church and state' thing.
I'll withhold additional comment on this. I think something from Captain Kroc may be more appropriate since he is our resident Catholic.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:00 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
November 01, 2008
UPDATE - RSB 2008
The Concert For Change is still on but the location has changed from AMH to La Zona Rosa! We hope to see you there!
Posted by mcblogger at 12:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 30, 2008
RSB 2008 : Ticket information
I know you're excited about Red State Blues! We just got an update from the promoter and you can, apparently, get tix at TCDP coordinated HQ (11th@35) for $25. Online there's an additional charge so if you have a chance I'd run over to TCDP and pick up your tix!
Posted by mcblogger at 12:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
In which we bid on the Statesman
We are seriously considering a bid for the Statesman which is, as many of you are no doubt aware, being put out on the lawn (like knick-knacks from grandma's trip to Oklahoma) in Cox's garage sale of Texas media properties.
We can report that will be submitting a cash and a securities offer that, to say the least, is impressive. For us. The securities (or, as our adviser calls them, 50 year IOU's) we are issuing as part of the transaction have a notational value in the hundreds of millions. Their current cash equivalent is $19.32 which we think is extraordinarily fair.
And yes, Statesman staff, we'll be giving you all raises should our bid be chosen. Even you, Gardner.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 29, 2008
KXAN.com gets a facelift
Nice work, Charlie Ray & Co! And, to LIN, way to go making a deal with Time Warner. Pretty stupid to begin with since the ad revenue is way more important. And your problem there is NBC's shitty programming.
It's easy to make phat bank when people are watching your shows.
Posted by mcblogger at 02:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 28, 2008
RSB 2008 : A Concert For Change
In what has been an historic year, Austin has stood out. We have been one of the largest, most supportive communities for Democrats in the country but this year the bright, shining star in the center of Texas got the attention of the nation. And Red State Blues is continuing that by sponsoring A Concert For Change next week.
Red State Blues
A Concert For Change
A one night concert event that fuses the temperature of our historic political times with modern music for all to celebrate!
Austin Music Hall
Monday, November 3rd
Doors Open for General Admission? at 7:00 pm
Featuring
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
James McMurtry
Brownout
General Admission $25.00?
(tickets can be purchased online)
VIP Reception Happy Hour
5:30pm-7:00pm
Musical Performance by Paris 49 with Special Guest Chrysta-Bell
Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cocktails
VIP Reception ticket to concert is just $75.00
(tickets can be purchased online)
All proceeds will benefit the Travis County Democratic Party and the Sims Foundation, two very worthy causes both seeking to make Austin (and Travis County) a better place.
For more information visit Red State Blues Concerts.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:20 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 23, 2008
Vote NO on Prop 2
If you live in Austin, you probably know that some of the peeps on Council voted to give tax incentives to a mall filled with high end retail because the developer whined that they just couldn't do it any other way. Flash forward a couple of years and there I am, able to finally go to Neiman's without a trip to Dallas.
Wait... that wasn't my point. OK, it was about the tax incentives. Yeah, I think those were a super bad idea in the case of the Domain . However, PROP 2, which seeks to override those incentives, is the wrong way to go. For one thing, the Council has already changed the guidelines for incentives. For another, this ties the hands of the City so dramatically that the best analogy is throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I'm not a big fan of development incentives mostly because it skews the economics of a project and can lead, rapidly, to overbuilding beyond what the market will support. However, for large employers coming into Austin as part of a large development project, they are a necessity. Was it in appropriate to use them at the Domain? Yes. Does that mean we have to go overboard and tie the hands of our elected officials? No. We do that at the ballot box when we decide on whether to keep or replace them.
We urge you to vote NO on Prop 2.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:55 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
October 21, 2008
Good news in CD 10
The Statesman has a good piece up about just how competitive CD 10 is...
Now Democrats are giving McCaul his toughest challenge yet in the form of Washington County lawyer Larry Joe Doherty, the former star of a TV courtroom show.McCaul's district, which includes much of northern Travis County, stretches east along U.S. 290 to the western suburbs of Houston. Doherty can expect to run well in Democrat-friendly Travis County but will need to eat into McCaul's sizable advantage in the conservative areas near Houston and between the two big cities.
Given Larry Joe's roots in the Houston area, it's likely that McCaul's advantage there will be cut down significantly from 2006. If the numbers hold, it should be enough (if LJD can hold on to Ankrum's voters in 2006) to elect LJD.
Of course, this will help...
McCaul is an engaging, interesting former prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice. But his low profile and support for so much of the Bush administration program over his past two terms makes him an ill fit for Austin. That's one of the reasons we are endorsing Larry Joe Doherty for this seat.
This is a particularly interesting endorsement given The Statesman's support in the past for McCaul. Of course, most of that was driven by the execrable Rich Oppel who lived in McCaul's colon when he was in town.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 17, 2008
The Chronic Awards...
people other than us for being 'Best of Austin'.
That (and Harry's pending lawsuit against them for ignoring us) aside, we're excited to see that several of our selections made it in this year, including BOR, Mike Martinez, Will Wynn and our accursed traffic. Eileen Smith got best local politics blogger which is very cool since she's one of the funniest people we know (we find her funny regardless of how much we've had to drink).
All in all, you gave up only a few of the good places and wisely selected Teh Suck (Molotov? VERY clever, y'all!) to trap the people who will read this over the weekend and start overwhelming these places. I am, however, pissed you bitches gave up Wink. Now we'll have to fight for our dinner with someone from Cedar Park who more appropriately belongs at an Olive Garden. In Cedar Park.
Click here to see all the awards... and the critics picks. We didn't get one of those, either. I blame Lee Nichols. And my content.
Posted by mcblogger at 07:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 13, 2008
Around Town : Jones gets endorsement; Eckhardt on CAMPO
Yeah, the Statesman endorsed a Democrat in a judicial race. Shocked the hell outta me, too.
Just over one year ago, at the height of public outcry over toll roads, the Policy Board of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) unanimously passed a set of covenants to govern the use of toll revenue collected from the Phase II toll roads. The covenants generally require that toll revenues stay within two miles of the road on which they were generated. The covenants allow for diversion of excess toll revenues from one toll road corridor to other projects only after specific public input and a 2/3 vote of the CAMPO Policy Board. Finally, the covenants require that tolls be reduced and eventually eliminated after the debt for the toll road has been retired and potential improvement projects within the corridor have been exhausted. On Monday, the CAMPO Policy Board will consider overturning some of these covenants, including the public meeting requirements.The first of the toll roads formerly known as Phase II is 290E, also known as the Manor Expressway. Because the project cannot stand on its own merits from a financing perspective the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) is proposing to “backstop” the debt financing of 290E with toll revenue from 183A through the creation of a “system.” In this system comprised of 290E and 183A, toll revenue and resultant debt capacity/obligation for both roads would be commingled and belong to the system, not to the transportation shed in which the user fees were collected. This diversion of revenue is exactly the circumstance the covenants were designed to address.
Under this circumstance the public comment provisions in the covenants should kick in. But they haven’t. Although the covenants require that a Statement of Purpose be developed and that public hearings be held both region-wide and within the donor corridor, none of these steps have been taken by CAMPO. The CTRMA seeks to waive these requirements. Some have even suggested repealing the covenants entirely.
No word on who would like to kill the covenants. Of course, it's probably the usual suspects, like Gerald Daugherty, who love them some toll roads and hate the pesky input from their constituents. If you live in Travis County Commissioner Precinct 3, help out Karen Huber today.
I know... the haircut does kind of remind me of a friend's mother who last sported that 'do in 1993. However, this isn't that mother. This is Gail 'Freakshow' Lowe who represents a swath of Texas stretching from the Hill Country to the Red River on the SBOE. She's just your normal, average, everyday lunatic who thinks:
1)Evolution is a theory without understanding what a 'theory' means in natural sciences
2)Teh Gays are Teh Bad
3)Her opponents are not family friendly, whatever the hell that means
Gail, this the SBOE not one of your nutter tent revivals. If you don't want to take the damn job seriously, then we'll surely find someone to replace you. I hate stupidity and incompetence and you are cursed with a plethora of both.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 12, 2008
Don't have time to go to CAMPO
Like many of you, I have a life and a job so I'll be unable to attend the CAMPO meeting tomorrow night. HOWEVER, they do have an email where you can let them know just how you feel. No on Item 7 on accepting the terms and conditions on the 290E tollway will work just fine.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 11, 2008
Tolls : So what is CAMPO up to?
On Monday, CAMPO's Transportation Policy Board will be meeting to discuss some some issues and make some decisions. Among them is the vote to accept the terms and conditions of the financing of the 290E Tollway. And therein lies the rub... apparently, even the rosy projections advanced by CTRMA and their friends at JP Morgan (the investment banking subsidiary of JP Morgan Chase) aren't enough to cover the debt service on the bonds used to finance the road. Which is a real problem in this market. I'd ask you to forget, for a moment, the fact that the credit markets are effectively frozen still, especially for road bonds. This'll all make sense in that context.
Apparently, JPM is pricing the interest rate on the bonds to, what I would assume, a level that would allow them to carry the bonds on their balance sheet. But they are dangling a carrot. If CAMPO will agree to bind 290E AND 183A into the same project as part of a system then they'll reduce the interest rate. Of course, there's no word on the existing bonds used to finance the 183A road. Or the performance vs. projections of that road. What is known is that CAMPO is being asked to guarantee the bonds on 290E with revenue from 183A.
Now, one of the arguments for toll roads is that they are financed by user fees (not evil taxes). The interesting thing in this situation is that 'user fees' from one population are being used to bolster the financing, in effect subsidizing, the users fees on another project. This would make sense if the two roads had user overlap. Or even if they were close to one another.
These roads don't have overlapping user populations AND they are separated from one another by, well, most of Austin.
And now, I have some questions...
1) If we're not worried about 'user fees' being used to pay off projects where they were assessed, in effect spreading the burden evenly, why don't we spread it as evenly as possibly (and as cheaply for taxpayers) by increasing the gax tax?
2) What about the money that TXDOT has been authorized to raise? Surely our legislators can find a way to get some of THAT money out of TXDOT to fund this project.
CAMPO needs to realize this ISN'T the best time to raise money to build something. Whether the situation will cure in a week or a year, the reality is that 290E is not a pressing project especially given that it can't fund itself. Further, we're less than a month away from an election that is definitely going to change the legislative makeup of DC and possibly Austin. Everyone in politics knows that infrastructure is definitely needed and will be necessary to bring us out of this recession... and the mood has certainly shifted from financing that investment with tolls.
CAMPO should table this until at least March, 2009. It's the only responsible thing to do.
YES! I got through this entire post without calling you any of you names or deriding your intelligence. Don't think that'll continue, especially if you vote to approve these draconian terms and conditions. Simply put, and I mean no offense, none of you have a solid background in structured finance. Simply put, JP Morgan does NOT have the best interests of CAMPO in mind. You should dig VERY deeply into the structure of this and the covenants.
CAMPO Transportation Policy Board
Monday, October 13, 2008 at 6:00 p.m.
University of Texas, Joe C. Thompson Conference Center, Room 2.102
Dean Keeton and Red River, Austin, Texas
Posted by mcblogger at 12:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 02, 2008
No, no... you can SUCK MY BALLS, Best Buy
Goddamn, what's a faggot gotta do to spend some money up in this beeyotch?!
So, as some of you are aware, I changed jobs yet again. That's right, kids, I once again have a real office in Austin with a great view of the 360 which usually resembles a parking lot. However, we're short on computers so I went to buy one. No big deal, right? Just a simple 17" laptop (I need a ten key... you wouldn't understand). My first stop, Office Depot. They had one. It looked like a piece. I passed.
Next stop, Best Buy. Service has never been a big deal at Best Buy which usually staffs from local high schools exclusively with the kids who are pissed as hell they have to work. They don't mind letting you know in oh-so-subtle ways that they really are disgruntled employees. I found one, couldn't get anyone to help me and decided to move to Fry's. My thought was, honestly, why did I even bother with these triflin' fools. Why didn't I just go to Fry's first?
I went back to the overstocked laptop section and there were a plethora of desktop replacement options. I was giddy with the knowledge that, despite my previous errors, I was about to finally be able to drop some coin and leave with a new computer. I even found one of the scruffy nerds that work at Fry's and despite his lack of product knowledge and general "shit, I dunno" attitude, I finally settled on a computer. He ran back to his monitor to check inventory and came back to me
Fry's Guy : Well, we have three in stock plus the floor model. However, those three are returns.
McB : Returns?
FG : (rolls eyes) Yeah, people brought them back.
McB : (irritated) No? Really? I get that, but I'm wondering why they'd be back in inventory.
FG : (shrugs shoulders) Dunno. Would you like one? Or I could pull the floor model but it wouldn't have the software. Or a box.
McB : Let's see, one of the THREE computers have been returned for God knows what reason OR the floor model that everyone has slobbered all over for weeks?
FG : It doesn't have software either.
McB : Yeah, I got that. MMM. Let me weigh those options. (brief pause) No. Let me look around for another.
We proceeded to check four more models and the story was a variation on the original one I wanted. I was CRUSHED. The salesman was nonplussed about the whole thing and, I think, annoyed that I'd eaten up so much of his wander-around-aimlessly-with-a-dazed-look time.
I then went home and got on Best Buy online. I easily found the model I wanted and without stupid kids to screw up my purchase, I quickly gave up my credit card. There, I thought to myself, problem fucking solved. Fuck a bunch of retail.
Well, at least that was how it was until this AM when I rec'd a note from BB telling me that they couldn't deliver to my address and that my order had been cancelled. Sorry! Folks, I get merchandise, overnights and all manner of crap delivered to me all the time and have for YEARS. Never once have I ever had an issue with my address. I, still wanting the computer, called the 800 number. I spoke with someone who transferred me to a dead line. I called back. By this time, I was a little annoyed but I thought what the hell... then I got on the phone with the bitch queen of telesales who informed me I'd made a stupid error in typing my address. I hadn't put SUITE in front of the unit and number.
REALLY? About that time my voice did get a little elevated and she asked me to stop shouting. WHICH I WASN'T. I asked her if she could just revise the order. She said no. I asked her how long it would be before the money was returned to my account. She said a WEEK. And as I tried to explain to her that was unacceptable, bitch hung up on me. Those of you who know me know that when I get REALLY angry I speak in a very low voice, usually because I'm gritting my teeth.
I then sent an email to Best Buy and told them I needed to get the order reset with SUITE added before my address or it needed to be canceled. They were kind enough to let me know that the order had already been canceled and thanks for shopping Best Buy online. I then wrote back, asking them to cancel all the other stuff I ordered. WHICH THEY THEN REFUSED TO DO because it was in process. Whatev.
One call to the bank and that finished that.
A word to the wise... Amazon.com. You may pay a little more but it's worth it not to have to deal with morons. And fuck a bunch of buy local.
Posted by mcblogger at 12:50 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
So long, KXAN
The reality? NBC sucks except for 30 Rock and The Office. Which means KXAN's ad revenue is down. And they are trying to raise some revenue this way.
To be honest, since we can get the shows online (and then you guys don't get any ad revenue) you might want to reconsider. I will miss Gossip Girl. YES, I'M ADMITTING I WATCH 'THAT GOSSIP GIRL SHOW'.
XOXO
Posted by mcblogger at 12:02 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 29, 2008
Ben Wear and his Stupid Sunshine Sh*t
I've actually noticed recently that the Statesman has improved a bit now that it's clear it can't depend on the Cox money teat for sustenance anymore. However, that improvement hasn't included Ben Wear who has to be one of the least curious people in Central Texas if his writing is any measure of the man.
Today, Wear presents a nice little article about TXDOT selling debt. To build toll roads (
which we'll pay for with our gas taxes AND tolls! The most expensive solution of all!). That we authorized almost five and two years ago. That they've sat on until THE WORST CREDIT CRISIS SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
Which is totally an ideal time to sell debt into the market. It's the time when you are SURE to get the more advantageous rates. But Wear doesn't mention that (other than some not-at-all witty suicide quip). He doesn't ask anyone about it.
Good to see everyone from the executive to the legislative to the media taking our need for infrastructure so seriously. It's a damn good thing you all have jobs either working for a failing enterprise (the Statesman) or one you are trying to drive into failure through your massive incompetence (State Government).
Posted by mcblogger at 11:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 18, 2008
Capitol Area Food Bank needs your help
Click here for more information...As much as we might not want to acknowledge it, the food bank serves a lot of people in our community who need help. Not to mention some of our new friends, courtesy of Ike. Please help them out if you can.
(H/T to Matt at BOR)
Posted by mcblogger at 01:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 13, 2008
Storm Of The Century Of The Week Bypasses Austin
Damn. What am I going to do with this pallet of flashlight batteries?
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 12:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 12, 2008
Dregs : No more kids for you and Hurricane! The Porno
IMHO, that's a damn good idea in situations like this. And it'll be fun to see if it's upheld on appeal!
q. Where's the evacuation point?
a. In the back of your mouth and everyone's cumming.
Hava Goodun!
Posted by mcblogger at 07:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 07, 2008
Get it, Sister Ruth?
I found this recently on Greek Tragedy...
When people in my life preface what they’re about to say with, “you cannot write about this on your blog,” I pretty much always respond, “Don’t flatter yourself.” You’re not that important or interesting (even if you are). It’s the one thing in life we find so hard to believe: that no one notices or pays nearly as much attention to us as we do.
Sister Ruth is ALL THE TIME doing this. Actually, many of you do. Seriously, when was the last time I wrote some weird detail of your life on the blog?
Oh, that's right. NEVER.
Here's how this goes... if I want to publish something I'll ask you.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 03, 2008
Cypress to shut down Fab 2
Cypress Semiconductor has decided to shut down Round Rock based Fab 2, the facility where it has produced semiconductors for more than 22 years. The shut down will result in the loss of more than 200 jobs...
The company informed the Workforce Commission that it will close the plant in four stages, eliminating 211 engineering, administrative and operator jobs. In the first stage, the company will cut 67 jobs between Oct. 27 and Nov. 11. Then it will cut 57 jobs between Nov. 10 and Nov. 23, followed by more job cuts between Dec. 8 and Dec. 21. The final 45 job reductions are planned to occur in early 2009.Cypress said that the Round Rock plant used older manufacturing process technology to make less advanced chips.
"It is simply more cost-effective to shift manufacturing elsewhere than to retool Fab 2," said Shahin Sharifzadeh, the company's manufacturing vice president, last year.
One has to wonder if Cypress received any 'incentives' and how much Round Rock has benefited from them. As for me, good riddance Cypress. You're kind of a loser any way. While it hurts to let jobs go, hopefully Samsung or another company will pick them up. They seem to be doing well.
Posted by mcblogger at 02:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 28, 2008
Stop Domain Subsidies about to go into the toilet
According to this in the Statesman, the ballot language is set...
Shall the City Charter be amended to prohibit the City from entering into future agreements to provide financial incentives in connection with the development or redevelopment of property that includes one or more retail uses, and to stop the City from providing financial incentives under certain existing agreements in connection with the development or redevelopment of property that includes one or more retail uses?
And with that, I'd like to take my hat off and salute Stop Domain Subsidies... for thoroughly fucking this up. Y'all took a perfectly good opportunity and turned it into a giant, smelly dog turd. ONE OR MORE RETAIL USES?!?!! Why not just 86 all mixed use?!?! What a fabulous idea.
Of course, the outcome of this was ENTIRELY predictable once Linda Curtis of Independent Texans got her stupid little rat brain involved in the effort. You may remember Linda as one of the masterminds (the Idiots Stall were the others) who told the Lege last session that SB 792 was great and then went and told everyone that it was a real moratorium on tolling and the TTC.
You people are too incompetent to achieve anything. The fact that anyone listens to you is a testament to their own stupidity. Take a bow, Linda. Now you've managed to have a hand in the ruination of two important efforts.
For many of us, SDS represented a necessary effort to stop tax payer funded subsidies for projects with questionable economics and job creation characteristics (i.e., retail). However, the language is now so broad that it includes some very necessary mixed use (residential, light commercial and retail) developments that are a key parts of the City's effort to establish Transit Oriented Developments.
It's very disheartening to see this effort dragged down into worthlessness. So, yeah, you should vote against this miasma of an amendment to the city charter.
Posted by mcblogger at 12:46 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
I'm gonna keep using the 'R' word, but thanks!
The Statesman ran this recently from a mother who doesn't like the free use of the word retard...
This is not about censorship or political correctness. This is a civil rights issue. It's about the right to be treated with dignity and respect as a human being. The disability community is glad to have the opportunity for a public discourse about the R-word.
So, you speak for the whole community? Allrighty...
I shudder at even typing the N-word, though many have few reservations about using the word "retard." When I was a child, was used only to refer to people with actual intellectual disabilities. Now, however, the R-word has fallen into casual use.Many don't realize that people with intellectual disabilities are four to 10 times more likely to be victims of crimes. They might not know that people with intellectual disabilities were among the first victims of eugenics in Nazi Germany. Perhaps they don't realize that "termination" rates are between 89 percent and 94 percent for those diagnosed, in utero, with Down syndrome. Many families cite the cruel treatment by society as a reason for termination.
WOW. I never even thought that someone would be such an ASSHAT as to completely separate the usage of the word ENTIRELY from the context. And throw in Nazi's, all at the same time.
As a mom, even before having a child with a diagnosis, I realized how my views shaped my child and how powerful words can be. We avoid using the word "fat" in our household; instead we focus on what is "healthy." We avoid even using the word "stupid;" instead we discuss "smart" choices or "better" decisions.Stop using the R-word. You can educate other people about its harmful ramifications.
I'm just gonna say this... when people use the word today, they aren't using it to describe someone with a mental health disability. Consider it synonymous with UNBELIEVABLY STUPID. I can't even remember the last time I heard it used to refer to someone who had a MHD. And quit whining about how offensive it is to you in general.
I'm so sick of shit like this. Feel good, meaningless crap. What she wants she's unable to ask for which is a more perfect world where everyone treats everyone with dignity and respect. I get that. However, it's the impossible dream and frankly, we'd all be bored to hell.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:33 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
August 27, 2008
Austin Chronicle Best Of...
The AusChron is once again running their 'Best of...' list. I've found the thing to be largely hit or miss mostly because these things seem loaded down vote-wise by granola fucks who think healthy food ROCKS and that Ginny's Little Longhorn is just unbelievably cool because they have Lone Star... and not much else.
Not to mention that this ballot is arduous...ChronPeople, I salute you for taking the inputs from these ballots and turning them into awards. That's an assload of work. And I hope you're well compensated for it. Seriously, you deserve a fucking amazing party and the kind of bonus money that would make Paris Hilton blush.
But back to the voting... Here's a link directly topolitics and personalities. And here are a few of our humble suggestions...
Local Issue - Traffic Congestion/Mass Transit
News Story - Toby's reign of EVIL ends
Scandal - That Brewster is STILL on Council
Elected Official - Will Wynn
State Legislator - Eddie Rodriguez.
Council Member - He Who Stands Up To Toby
Unsung Behind-the-Scenester - Matt Curtis
Job - Following behind Mindy Montford with one of her signs after the County Convention
Public Service - Cleaning up shit? Somewhere? We really are not at all about this.
Nonprofit Group - Human Rights Campaign
Activist - Garry Brown
Local Politics Blog - Your choice... we'd say go for us, but honestly while we are based in Austin, we write as much about the rest of the state and the country as we do about Austin. And the last time I checked, there are only about 500 people who are physically IN Austin who read us on a daily basis. I think more people read us in Dallas than here... and I HATE Dallas like a motherfucking rash.
BOR would also be a good choice, as would EOW and TK.
Local Politics Blogger - Eh, vote for Mayor McSleaze. I want to see him get angry if he wins.
Grassroots Movement - Texans for Mark Thompson (seriously, WAS there a bigger surprise in the primary?!?!?!)
Environmentalist - Marguerite Jones. The rest of those fools are triflin'.
As for the rest of the ballot, feel free to fill out as much as you'd like. Just say nothing of that Place That Shall Not Be Named In Midtown Where You Can Still Smoke Inside. And tell them Trudy's is your favorite restaurant.
Posted by mcblogger at 12:48 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
August 25, 2008
Really, Target? Really?
I'm guessing an overwhelming number of Target shoppers are retards who think plastic shopping bags are a swell idea for baby playtime.
What the hell does that say about me since I shop at Target? Oh, and underneath... ideas for "ways to reuse this bag". Idea #1? A trash bin liner. Clever, these people who design the bags at Target.
Posted by mcblogger at 03:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Transportation Daisy Chain
A certain political consultant emailed the release of the Republican Leadership (now ain't that just one hell of an oxymoron?) regarding their willingness to work with one another. After reading it, I responded to him with
Craddick sucks off Dewhearst sucks off Perry eats out Delisi sucks off Craddick?
To which he responded
I'd rather not have that image in my mind, but, yes, I think you have it about right.
Here's the gist...
Highlights of the new plan:Stop funding the Texas Department of Public Safety with gas tax funds, and divert those millions to road construction. DPS could instead be funded with general revenue tax funds.
What an AWESOME idea, y'all! We've only been asking for it for years but it's good to see that you're finally doing what we told you to do. Next, find the revenue to fund DPS without the gas tax. Good luck with that, R's. WITHOUT taking away CHIP.
Create a special Transportation Finance Corporation to allow Texas-based investment funds to directly invest in state transportation projects.
Rutro! This is the kind of place where you people normally take a nosedive. Here's the inside skinny... the folks at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs (whatup, peeps!) are having problems selling toll bonds. Which means that road privatization has pretty much ground to a halt along with everything else in the debt markets, at least everything risky (read: toll revenue bonds). If Texas had issued tax-backed revenue bonds and indexed the gas tax (AS ADVISED YEARS AGO) they wouldn't have had any problems selling off the debt. However, toll bonds (much like subprime and Alt A mortgage credits) are questionable at best, valueless at worst. Which means nothing is selling and there's no way for Perry and his cronies at Zachry (and THEIR friends, Cintra (Bluebonnet)) to get the money to buy the roads. Burka has some great stuff up on just how successful road privatization has been. For investors.
So, now that private money has evaporated to finance your questionable plans, you morons want to dip into the underfunded public pensions!??!?!?! Lemme guess, you'll be giving the investment banks a cut on that transaction to work as adviser, right? And, of course, Zachry will be brought in to manage everything and take a cut. Annually. So, what does that leave for the pension fund?
Great idea, you guys! Precisely what I'd expect from folks with the intellectual capacity of sparrows.
Authorize perhaps as much as $5 billion in bonds for additional highway construction projects. Voters approved a constitutional change in November 2007 to allow these bonds, but legislation is still needed to authorize them.
Oh, those tax backed bonds! Yeah, you should totally issue those. Here's the thing, though... at some point, you R's are going to have to finally admit to folks you've been lying to them about the possibility of having economic growth, good public infrastructure and excellent services (schools, fire and police) all while paying less in taxes. Simply put, you've been selling (but not delivering) a free lunch. It's worked so far because no one's been real hungry. Now they're starving and they want something to eat.
EOW nails it and picks up on what the Statesman (and other major media sources) have always missed. These aren't REAL solutions, it's a shell game designed to make it appear that something is happening... and to put off the day when the bill really comes due.
The really wonderful post on all this comes from Paul Burka at Texas Monthly who lays it out beautifully.
The reality that no one on the R side wants to admit is that their ideology is fundamentally flawed. In the real world, privatization does not always work to the benefit of consumers, especially in the absence of substantive GOVERNMENT oversight. An old school economic conservative can you tell you that. In fact, I've done it several times. We, unlike the ideologues running the government who've never really worked in business, know from first hand experience that private enterprise can be every bit as wasteful as big government.
And we hate waste, whether it's Democratic or Republican. And crony capitalism is definitely waste.
One last point, there appear to be those who still want to parrot the old estimate that our transportation funding shortfall is $80-100 bn. It's NOT. It's not even close especially when you aren't building TODAY for capacity you won't need until the late 2040's. As a side note, I'd also like to ask the Lege to set up an independent body, appointed by the LEADERSHIP from both parties in the Lege, to audit TXDOT and what they are paying suppliers. I find it UNBELIEVABLE that true road constructions costs have escalated more rapidly than anything other than gold bullion.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 21, 2008
Krazy like a Keel
Donna Keel, whose only distinguishing feature seems to be her decision to marry a Keel, is running for State Representative against Valinda Bolton way down southwest... in southwest Travis County. Developers love her, mostly because she views the environmentally sensitive area as nothing more than empty land on which endless mini-malls filled with dry cleaning shops, frozen yogurt stores and nail salons may be built. All those low wage retail jobs also mean she's a brill promoter of economic growth.
No one ever said Donna was smart or a protector of the environment. On the smart thing, she did, after all, marry a Keel which is a small step above marrying a Manson. By virtue of the fact that the Keels haven't killed anyone. At least no one that we know of. What we do know is that her bother-in-law and winner of the 2008 LAMEST HAIRCUT IN THE WORLD is Terry Keel and he's the one forcing her to do this. Because, in his new role as parliamentarian, he wants a buddy since all CradDICK does is repeat him. One has to assume that Donna had met Terry prior to marrying the other Keel (the one who gave her the glam name). One has to wonder about the sanity of ANYONE willing to marry into that family with eyes wide open.
Can you tell we don't like Terry? Oh, there's a reason... Terry has all the integrity of a homeless drunk, he'll do anything for a dollar, much as a drunk will for a bottle of MD20/20. From scuttling real ethics reform to helping Tom CradDICK stay in power, Terry was a miserable failure as a State Representative. Now he's firmly supporting his sister-in-law. Just what we need... feathered hair, part 2.
On the environment, a massive concern for voters in the district, Donna Keel had this to say...
Business Friendly Environment - Many businesses that were overtaxed and over regulated in other states are relocating to Texas. Many of those same states have responded by increasing taxes on the remaining businesses and individuals, perpetuating a vicious cycle .
Oh, shit. I guess they forgot about being concerned about breathable air and drinkable water. My bad! Well, let's just address her economic stupidity for a moment, shall we? What she's saying here is that we need to keep business taxes low. I'm all for that. However, the Republicans she wants to join, the same ones who've been running Texas into the ground for more than 10 years, have made sure that business pays close to nothing in taxes to support the state that supports them. They use our roads, our schools, our police, fire and most definitely our courts. Yet they pay nothing to support the state. Oh, they provide some wonderful blue collar and minimum wage jobs (massive failure that IS Cabela's anyone?) but those jobs don't inject a massive amount of tax revenue either.
The reality is that Texas is one of the few states where our elected officials are dumb enough to give up everything for bargain basement prices. And Donna, you want to be one of those people? REALLY?!??! I find that just infuriatingly stupid. However, looking at your resume it's clear that while you've had a B school education, you've never worked in private industry. So you don't know what the real world is like where we actually look for places with economic stability where the taxes may be a little higher, but government is operating efficiently and investing for the future.
Republicans and Donna Keel are quite simply, bad salesman. They don't want partners that shoulder the burden of funding our state government and infrastructure and they don't understand that partnerships are built on shared sacrifice, trust and an understanding that long term profit is better than short term gain.
They are creating, though their policies, a business class who've grown fat and happy sucking off the government teat without paying so much as a dime in taxes. So, in a situation like that, you have to ask if the economic 'growth' these companies bring in is worth the cost to our environment, if the economic gain exceeds the cost. The answer, for many of these companies, is NO. They cost us far more in health care, education, transportation, public safety, etc. than they provide in taxes. Which means they are drains on our economy and we'd be better off without them.
Donna Keel doesn't know that. Which makes me wonder what, other than the way to the Comptroller's building, she does know.
Finally, her stand on toll roads...
Toll Roads – Austin absolutely needs to improve its infrastructure, particularly at the Y in Oak Hill. These improvements should be paid for with existing funds. I would only support tolls as an absolute last resort, never on existing roads or bridges( double taxation), and never as a source of revenue in perpetuity. Once a road is paid for, the toll should be removed.
Sounds great, doesn't it? Many Republicans said the same thing in 2003... right before they voted for the bill that gave TXDOT the ability to privatize new AND existing roads as well as toll in perpetuity. Donna, further proving she has a shallow-puddle deep understanding of the issues, doesn't get that tolling is more expensive for Texans than any other financing solution. Note here she makes no mention of the gas tax which we already know would be the cheapest way to fund infrastructure. Probably because she can't do the cost per mile break down in her head to determine that she'll pay more on a per gallon basis with tolls than with the gas tax.
As for 'removing the tolls', sure Donna. We've heard that from EVERY Republican at one time or another. We believed some of them. However, we're not going to blindly trust you since your brother-in-law helped put us in this mess to begin with. And he's one of your advisers and supporters, which to us means you have bad taste in both and even worse judgment.
We can't afford another Keel. We need to KEEP VALINDA BOLTON.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:28 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
August 18, 2008
Having drinks with Kelso
Yes, Kelso, we agree with you... there are a bunch of lightweights at Forbes and the CDC.
Posted by mcblogger at 03:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
My dirty little secret...
I love dogs... even chihuahua's, though I do make fun of them. And their owners.
Cynthia Miller has, with the help of her two Maltese dogs (Lulu and Lolly), created a website dedicated to raising money for dog rescue and helping people who have rescued dogs. The site is based on a 'what if...' scenario involving Cynthia's credit cards, Lulu and Lolly's sense of wanderlust and a camera. And now it's grown to products and a blog... check it out when you have a chance!
Posted by mcblogger at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 15, 2008
(Not so) Great Ideas
Bad Decision
Mixing bourbon, vodka and gin with root beer (in my defense, I was 12)
SUPER Bad Decision
Making Chet Edwards the nominee of the Democratic Party for Vice-President.
Seriously, I'm not going to go on some asinine rant about how Chet's not liberal enough. Or progressive enough. Or attractive enough. Or interesting enough. He's not enough of any of those things, but at the end of the day, he's perfect for Waco and it's environs. He's conservative, he's moderately attractive, boring as a motherfucker and basically a perfect fit to represent people who voted for Bush. Four times.
And I'm certainly not going to beat up on a Democrat who can get re-elected, cycle after cycle, in the red territory most us only know as the asshole on the 35 between Austin and Dallas. Seriously, voting for the bankruptcy bill was THE right thing to do, mostly because those yokels are too stupid to realize he worked to restrict their Constitutional right to wipe the slate clean and get a fresh start in their lives. They're not too bright, much like their asshat Congressman.
However, while all this not great, it's not the end of the world. Chet votes his district. However, there is one issue which makes Chettie boy as goddamn unacceptable as John McCain. On several occasions he's voted for actions and laws that were unconstitutional. He's voted to give up our rights, freedoms and disregarded his duties as a member of the United States House of Representatives. Needless to say, having a man so willing to surrender what makes us Americans a heartbeat away from the Presidency shouldn't make anyone excited.
Of course, having the endlessly spineless Pelosi pulling strings for him also makes him pretty unacceptable. Let's face it... when the American people put the Democrats in the majority they expected the Executive Branch to be held accountable. They expected a restoration of the Constitutional power of Congress. They expected Democrats to stand up and say that prosecuting the War on Terror does not mean we have to abandon what makes the US the land of the free. I'm one of millions not willing to give up my privacy so Democrats in Congress can act tough and I'm certainly not one of these crazies who thinks an imperial Executive is a good thing. I was one of the millions who helped put Democrats into office in 2006 and we expected to see accountability in Washington.
What we got, instead, were Democrats like Chet Edwards caving on issues large and small, joining with the minority Republicans to form a majority and pass bad legislation. Maybe that's why the approval rating for Congress is so low.
I refuse to stand up and endorse a man who thinks compromising his Oath of Office is good politics. I won't do it for McCain and I certainly won't cut the Bastard Of The Brazos any slack for being a Democrat. If anything, he gets double black marks for voting give up what makes this country great to add perceived safety and security.
And we all know what Benjamin Franklin had to say about those people.
As for me, I'll just call him worthless... well, except for his work for Veterans. However, given his district, is it any wonder that someone looking to get re-elected would be a big believer in giving Veterans a voice? However, maybe that is the one thing he does purely because it's the right thing to do.
Oh, and let's remember that the DMN has been Chet's biggest booster in Texas. You should keep in mind that in 2000 and 2004 the bright Ed Board at the DMN decided to endorse Bush over the Democratic nominee. The same people who see in Edwards the same things, apparently, that they saw in Bush.
Don't say you weren't warned.
Posted by mcblogger at 03:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Thanks Eileen.
We're always thrilled to be called
Posted by mcblogger at 10:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 14, 2008
That smell...
Council Members Mike Martinez and Brewster McCracken are both engaged and plan to wed in November.McCracken, 42, proposed to fiance Sarah Groos, 29, in front of the McNay Art Museum in her hometown of San Antonio.
Groos is a program manager at the LBJ Foundation. The two dated for a little more than 10 months.
It will be the second marriage for McCracken and the first for Groos. McCracken said he and Groos enjoy many similar interests but admits she isn’t a big fan of politics, which could be a challenge given McCracken’s almost certain run for mayor next year.
Politics is definitely in the blood of Martinez’s fiancée Lara Wendler, 41, who serves as chief of staff Texas Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston. Martinez, 39, said he and Wendler met four years ago and have dated seriously since last spring.
He proposed in the living room of his East Austin home while his 10-year-old son captured the moment on camera. It will be a second marriage for Martinez and Wendler, a native Austinite.
“We feel really, really good about it, and we’re really happy,” Martinez said.
We at McBlogger would like to wish Councilman Martinez (or, as we like to call him, He Who Stands Up To Toby) all the best on his union. We are, to say the least, THRILLED for you!
As for Release The McCracken, we have only a question for his bride-to-be... REALLY? BREWSTER? REALLY??!?!?!
REALLY?!?!
Posted by mcblogger at 10:55 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
August 10, 2008
We're close to a deal to retake McBlogger
"Our long national nightmare is over." Gerald Ford, President of the United States
"Dude... they aren't going to cave. I'm offering to buy the damn thing back. " McBlogger to Mayor McSleaze
Just wanted to let y'all know that we couldn't come to an agreement with ACC regarding working conditions. However, they have apparently been doing so poorly with their investment that they are willing to sell the blog back to us. We're currently negotiating the trade and it's complex. Eurodollar futures, credit default swaps and a derivative based on the future price of milk. In 2190. So, if on a bright summer day in 2190 we show up on your doorstep asking for room and board, the trade went the wrong way and we owe more than the US owes China.
Of course, it could go the other way which would mean we will own the blog forevermore and we'll become thousandaires. Which is hella exciting.
You should also know we'll be keeping some of the new talent, mostly because ACC is paying to get rid of them and they'll work for free. People like Rose Petal, Vinnie and Chandra.
In the meantime, here's a little bit of our special, unique and altogether unerringly correct take on current events.
While we're on the subject of ABC's dippy little poll, it's worth noting that the only thing the damn poll reveals is that Americans don't know a fucking thing energy policy or sustainability. It also shows that the Democrats are once again pandering to the lowest common denominator in a futile effort to try to deny the Republicans an issue... by playing to their strengths. From a strategy perspective, you can all eat out my asshole while I'm shitting out corn from last night.
You know, I expect this kinda crap from the Republicans. But you Democrats are smarter and should know better. Instead, like the weak little bitches you are, you're folding up like lawn chairs. To hell with all of you. And especially you, Rep. Noriega. We're done with your ass and your shitty campaign. When y'all get a goddamn clue, run for something else. Until then, don't waste the fucking money if you're not going to run a real fucking campaign.
Don't get me wrong, Democrats will probably have a big year in Texas anyway. Even Lampson and Noriega will more than likely win because the environment is just so toxic for Republicans... well, it is except for the wildcard energy bullshit that the Democrats refuse to stand firm on and the R's are rather effectively turning on them. However, none of you will win because of talent or skill. You'll be accidentally elected. Which, though not necessarily bad, will make a lot of you look better than you are. And give you a false sense of security.
As for you staffers, frankly some of you suck balls. Actually, a lot of you suck balls. Some of your people will win but it won't happen because of any special talent you bring to the table.
I'm tired of sing-song, party line bullshit. If it smells like shit, looks like shit and motherfucking tastes like shit then it's shit. Don't act like I've got to eat what you serve because the shit from the other side is so much worse. Your JOB is not to pander, it's to fucking lead and fuckall if almost every Democrat I support hasn't forgotten that and become about as clueless as the short bus Republicans. Some that is bad staffing and bad consulting. Some of it is bad candidates. However, the reason doesn't matter. What matters is fixing it NOW.
If this were 1948 and you people were running Truman's campaign, we'd have elected Dewey. That's how bad you're doing and the fact that you'd bother to argue the point with me makes my case.
This administration will leave office having trashed the place -- and I'm not talking about a few "W's" pried loose from White House computer keyboards by the exiting Clinton crew. I'm referring to the myriad ways in which this administration, dismissive of the role of government, abused the enterprise it was entrusted with overseeing.My favorite sentence in the Goodling report sums up the hiring practices in the department's supposedly nonpartisan career ranks: "Tell Brad he can hire one more good American."
This was the response by Goodling, who served as Justice's liaison with the White House, to a request from Bradley Schlozman, the interim U.S. attorney in Kansas City, Mo., to bring aboard a new prosecutor. "Good American" is Goodling's code for "Republican."
Every victorious administration enjoys the legitimate spoils of government. The president is entitled to bring in his people -- those who have voted for him, written checks to him and back his policies. Every administration has its Goodlings, inexperienced punks who flaunt their authority as conspicuously as a West Wing badge.
Most administrations find ways to keep the Goodlings under control and the grown-ups in charge. The trouble with this one is that it is riddled with Goodlings Gone Wild, incapable of or unwilling to distinguish between the proper pursuit of political aims and the responsible administration of government.
To take one other recent example, the NASA inspector general found last month that press officers in the space agency "reduced, marginalized, or mischaracterized" studies of global warming, toning down politically unwelcome conclusions. A news conference on global warming was postponed, according to a senior scientist, because the "administration does not want any negative environmental news before the [2004] election."
So what's the deficit got to do with it? The deterioration of the nation's budgetary picture under the reckless stewardship of this administration is the fiscal equivalent of the Goodlingization of the executive branch. President Bush put adherence to Republican theology -- taxes must be cut -- over prudent governing.
In February 2001, when the new president presented his first budget to Congress, he described the fiscal situation this way: "We have increased our budget at a responsible 4 percent, we have funded our priorities, we have paid down all the available debt, we have prepared for contingencies and we still have money left over."
That happy situation, he said, justified -- no, necessitated-- a tax cut: "The growing surplus exists because taxes are too high and government is charging more than it needs. The people of America have been overcharged, and on their behalf, I am here asking for a refund."
The next president will confront a far gloomier situation. The deficit, the administration's budget experts reported Monday, will be $482 billion -- a huge number that is probably a low-ball. Among other things, it assumes only $70 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
HAVE. A. GOODUN.
Posted by mcblogger at 04:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 07, 2008
There's something about Mary
OMG! LOL! I'm sooooooo glad I don't live in Austin. So, last night late our boss comes in and bitches at us (Rose, Vinnie, myself, Chandrakant (who comes from India which is a whole other country or something where they do NOTHING but answer phones) and Ted about not posting enough. No big deal, I think... this posting stuff is kinda easy.
I mean, you guys will read anything if I just publish it. After all, you've been reading this crap for a while. And you'll really like to hear about some of the cool stuff I have going on in my life. I haven't even told you guys about my collection of Dogs That Aren't Mine!
Moronager (that's what I call the boss... it's a really clever combination of 'moron' and 'manager'. My Mom always said she didn't raise no dummie. Of course, she was looking at my brother when she said that, but I'm certain I was included as well) wanted us to post more 'local' stuff so I started reading the online edition of some newspaper in El Paso. Meanwhile, Moronager comes over and is doing that 'look over the shoulder and breathe heavily' thing that I can't stand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, I say, "Can I help you, Boss?" and he says "Yeah, why don't you go to the paper in Austin. That's where McBlogger is based, not El Paso."
Oh. OK. FFFFIIIINNNNEEEE. Excuse the hell out of me for not knowing which part of Texas this stupid blog is in. So I go over to a newspaper in Austin and I gotta say, you guys have a good newspaper. Not a GREAT newspaper, but a pretty damn good one. Especially this Selby guy who is really very clever. However, you guys are hella nasty. TYPHOID?
The Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department is investigating about a dozen cases of possible typhus infection, most of them reported in Central Austin.The type of typhus found in Texas, murine typhus, is most commonly caused by rats and their fleas, but opossums and cats can also be involved in transmitting the disease, according to the Department of State Health Services Web site. People get it from an infected flea.
And women named Mary who like to cook, Statesman! Way to leave that out. Aren't your health inspectors smart enough to check out the staff at restaurants? DUH!
Watch out you people in Austin. Never know when you'll end up all sick and shit.
Posted by SCAB at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 05, 2008
Get well, Pat Crow!
Last night we received word that Pat Crow, longtime operative here in Travis County, had successfully come through bypass surgery but suffered a stroke during the procedure.
Those few of you who don't know Pat should just take our word that she's an exceptional person with a razor sharp mind, phenomenal wit and an easy, infectious laugh. You should also know that's she's one of few operatives in Travis County for whom we have genuine affection (we like and respect a whole bunch of you, but there are few we really love. Pat is one of them).
Please keep Pat and her family in your thoughts and prayers.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 01, 2008
Sen. Kirk Watson NAILS IT
Here's a sample of today's WatsonWire...
But the Mansion fire isn’t only a symbol. It’s a symptom of the self-interested neglect and mismanagement that have come to define those who purport to lead this state. While Texas is blessed with dedicated, hard working, public service-oriented employees, they have been denied the tools and leadership they need.Texas, and every Texan, deserves better. It’s time to demand a government that works.
Read the rest here. Kirk, we need this from you... and we need you desperately to be a leader on transportation funding that won't leave the majority of the state in the slow lane.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 31, 2008
Loving 101X
I got up kinda late Saturday morning. OK, REALLY late. I was at a church thing the night before. Or having drinks with some great friends. You pick which one you believe/would rather believe.
So, Saturday I was awakened by my trusty alarm and heard some intern talking about this great song that she loves.
That intern has some good taste. Thank you, doll, for getting me up without Silverchair. Or Ghostland Observatory.
Posted by mcblogger at 08:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 29, 2008
McCaul gets pwn'd
A couple of boys are attending a school that a US Congressman doesn't like and labels a 'jihadist seminary' without knowing anything about it. He then makes sure, through some hitherto unknown mechanism available to members of Congress, that they are removed from the school.
Who would dare to violate the religious and intellectual freedom of Americans? None other than our own Republican Congressman, Mikey McCaul (R - ClearChannel). Regardless of how pro- or anti-American this school is, their FATHER sent them there. Why did McCaul feel a need to violate the wishes of a parent? Will he be stepping in to assist other children who don't like the schools they are attending? Maybe even beat up on parents for sending their kids to bad summer camps?
Finally, these kids were from ATLANTA, GEORGIA. Not Texas. It's great that Mikey can spend so much time working on violating the wishes of a parent who isn't even his constituent, but we'd love it if he'd start doing what WE, his actual constituents, would like him to do.
Mean Rachel has more and some video.
Oh, and it would be nice if you'd help us get rid of Mikey by throwing some support to Larry Joe!
Posted by mcblogger at 10:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 28, 2008
Why is CapMet hating on ACL?
Once a year everyone thanks Cap Met for doing a good job for running the shuttle service during Austin City Limits. Especially people like me who can't avoid downtown (we like to drink) and really want to be able to catch our standard parking spaces. Without that shuttle, central would become a zoo of trashed out beaters parked two and three deep, a wonderland for the tow trucks but a nightmare for us. While I avoid ACL because I'm allergic to smelly people and hot environments without waitstaff, I'm a HOOOGE fan of that shuttle.
Now Cap Met's Republican leadership and counsel are saying they can no longer provide this needed service because of Federal rules. But, transportation authorities in other cities say Cap Met can provide the service. Cities like Chicago and Boston.
Now we are hearing from people affiliated with Austin City Limits that transit authorities in these other cities are indeed correct, that this sort of service is allowed under the guides and Cap Met's extreme view of the Federal regulations is more in line with that of hard right Republicans than reality.
For years Cap Met has received applause and thanks for providing the shuttle service to move over 200,000 people in and out of the Zilker Park area. The staff has been welcoming and a helpful addition to the event. Plus, Capital Sports and Entertainment, the organizers of Austin City Limits, even pay a premium rate for the service. Of course, making money has never been the strong suit of the Republican leadership at Cap Met.
One has to wonder if this is some kind of Republican reprisal for Capital Sports and Entertainment's strong support of Obama? One also has to wonder why the hell these incompetents are working at Cap Met. These are the same folks who think that the increase in ridership is not due to the increase in gas prices. Smart folks, these.
And who are these people? The ones that come straight out of the offices of DeLay, Phil Graham, Dick Shelby and Ed Kuempel and view the City's needs through the lenses of cranky, conservative, people?
Cap Met needs to immediately reverse its decision on providing shuttle service to Austin City Limits and its Board needs to consider removing the current management.
Cap Met needs the good public relations of getting 200,000 new riders, not bad press making 200,000 fight over parking spaces, walk for miles and potentially destroy the future of Austin City Limits. Not to mention the hell they'll catch from the Downtown Business Alliance when my spending drops to zero that weekend.
Don't laugh... I AM keeping several bars and restaurants afloat. And for those of you thinking this is all a bunch of partisan crap, keep in mind Democrats aren't running Cap Met. The Republicans ARE. It's high time competence, rather than ideological bullshit, made a comeback.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 26, 2008
Shelly was IN TOWN?!?!?!?!
As part of their continuing effort to remain relevant, conservabloggers had themselves a little convention, at the Renaissance in the Arboretum. Wonder if they had fun partying down at Friday's and Tangerine? No, wait... I really don't care.
Speakers included Bob Novak (when ARE they going to finally let him die?) and Grover Norquist, the guy who says government is the root of all evil and that unfettered, unregulated commerce is always perfect. Grover can say things like that because he's only worked in government and government related services. He's uniquely UNQUALIFIED to offer anything of substance, which is probably why the ConRoots were able to get him to come talk to them.
However, they also had... SHELLY! And what, you might be wondering, is Shelly on about today? Wachovia... apparently, their loss has nothing to do with poor underwriting. It has everything to do with management being concentrated currying favor with La Raza. No, I'm really not making this up.
Posted by mcblogger at 12:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 25, 2008
Attention Austin Police!
I spent more than 20 minutes Wednesday evening going from the Lamar bridge to the South First bridge on Cesar Chavez. Of course, there is a ton of construction going on CC. However, that wasn't the problem. The jam up was caused by idiot joggers running around Lake Lady Bird who just decided to ignore the GIANT SIGNS THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM SPACE telling them not to cross South First at Cesar Chavez.
Austin Police... I LURVE you guys and only ask that you'd do me a favor. Wait on either side of the intersection and ticket the people who cross for jaywalking. PLEASE. It's obvs that people trying to hit them isn't going to deter them from jamming up traffic. That endorphin rush must be powerful and these people are JUNKIES. If they try to run away from you, taser them. Several times. For me, K?
And to the jackass in the red shorts I was gunning for... it's a damn good thing you're fast, though I probably would have stopped before I hit you. Probably. I wish for you only two things:
1) That you learn to read.
2) That the cartilage in your knees and hips disintegrates.
Jackass.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:48 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 24, 2008
Were you wondering what was up at the NCSL?
If you're curious about what's happening at the National Conference of State Legislators, the crew at KXAN has you covered.
And no, I don't know what it's all about.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:26 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
We miss you, Garry Brown
Hope you're OK and that you'll be back soon! One thing... 39% needs this to be a bigger emergency than it is so he can prove that his leadership is superior, even though we all know that he's a leader in the style of another great Republican, Herbert Hoover.
Could you at least TRY and make your situation sound a little more dire? That way 39% won't look like an idiot for asking Washington for a preemptive disaster declaration.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 23, 2008
Taking a moment to say thanks
It's not often that we take time out of our busy lives to thank those who've done so much to us. In my case, I realized today just what a CLUSTERFUCK AT&T WIRELESS IS. In that vein, I offer the following:
You take me offline, constantly
Always desiring an EDGE connection, you leave me trapped on GPRS
The way you dropped my calls SIX times yesterday was AWESOME
And thank you for selectively making signal unavailable everywhere, but only when I need to make a call or send an email.
Without AT&T in my life, things would so rock!
Posted by mcblogger at 12:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 19, 2008
Surprise!
Turns out that the surprise guest at the liberal Netroots Nation (formerly YearlyKos) convention was Al Gore.
Meanwhile, the conservative counter-convention being held across town, American Bloggers Saving America From Americans (formerly Little Green Goofballs) had to settle for a surprise appearance from ManBearPig. All went well until the creature, apparently frightened by flashes from the audience's cameras, mauled Jonah Goldberg.
Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 11:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 18, 2008
What math nerds grow up to smell like
In a few short minutes I shall bravely overcome cocktail flu, venture downtown and go to Netroots Nation where I will moderate a panel. On sunshine laws.
That's right, Netroots Nation is here and there are massive numbers of polinerds running around downtown like a tapeworms in someone's ... well, you get the idea. If you ever wondered what happened to that politically aware math nerd you knew in high school who was slightly malodorous, if you'll go hang out downtown you'll probably see him.
Or her.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:19 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
July 17, 2008
Time to clean house at CapMetro
Yesterday, our transit agency announced the sudden departure of the Rail Director. This comes a week after a derailment of a rail car carrying Federal Transportation officials in town to sign off on the commuter train operation. No, I'm not joking. The damn thing went off the rails, which is the current destination of commuter and light rail in Austin if we don't remove all the losers at CapMetro and replace them with competent professionals.
This also comes shortly after the flight of the Chairman, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. None of which were particularly a great loss.
We need a good transit system now. I think everyone is screaming for it. And at a time that the city is demanding what Cap Met always said they could produce, they seem to be able to only screw up. Over and over and over again. Moreover, the remaining 'leadership' at CapMetro does anything but lead and seems uniquely incapable of doing anything right. They've lost the support of the rank and file personnel and now they should lose the support of the City and everyone else.
Commuter Rail is neither on time nor on budget. This isn't surprising since its builder didn't deliver his last project, ABIA, on time or on budget. Sure they opened it on time, but it went through five years of extreme change orders.
Who selected the same company who converted ABIA? Why none of there than the retarded senior level management at CapMetro. And where did they come from? Straight from federal and state Republican leadership. The same people who say we can drill for oil where there is none. The same folks who think you can keep kids from having sex by asking them not to, despite all evidence to the contrary. The same folks who brought us electricity deregulation, though thankfully that one didn't take hold here.
We want public transit that works for this city. These Republicans seem hell bent on building a operation to hire their pals, give out sweetheart contracts, fly all over the country and play with our tax dollars. Enough is enough... it's time they be employed where they belong... nowhere.
We need to immediately call for a replacement of the management of Cap Met. And we need to find a management that will take advantage of this demand from the city for good public transit that challenges us to change the way we think.
Posted by mcblogger at 08:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 08, 2008
Travis County needs your help...
TCDP's Coordinated Campaign is a much larger, more robust, effort than we've ever mounted. The aim is not only to use our resources to turn Travis County completely blue but to help with some of the surrounding areas and other key races around Texas.
As such, the funding needs are a lot higher than they ever have been. And they need you to step up and help out. Rep. Naishtat has graciously agreed to match your contributions, dollar for dollar, up to a total of $15k. We all know gas is expensive and money is tight. However, you have opportunity to turn $10 into $20 for the campaign.
Click here to help the effort to make Travis County (and Texas) the place we all know it can be!
Posted by mcblogger at 01:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 07, 2008
Really, Boone?, TOD problems, $1 Trillion Deficit and more
At least 141 acres of the planned 326-acre Lakeline Station project, near U.S. 183 and RM 620, have been posted for foreclosure after California-based developer Pacific Summit Partners failed to make at least one quarterly payment to William Savage, the previous owner of the property.Savage, who sold the land in 2006, could not be reached for comment Thursday. Messages left for his attorney, Rick Hightower, were not returned.
Pacific Summit principal Steve Levenson said his partnership missed a payment because of problems arranging financing and asked for an extension; Levenson didn't say when the payment had been due.
While the Republicans will blame you for years and label you “Trillion Dollar Obama” in future campaigns, there is in fact not much that you or any other President can do. You’ve inherited an asset-based economy whose well has been pumped nearly dry with lower and lower interest rates and lender of last resort liquidity provisions that have managed to support Ponzi-style prosperity in recent years. Foreign lenders have cooperated by purchasing Treasuries at yields which when combined with dollar depreciation have resulted in negative returns on their money. Even if these charades continue (and they may not), their stimulative effects – their magical powers to transform a 110-pound weakling into a Charles Atlas/Arnold Schwarzenegger mensch of an economy – are gone. What you need now is fiscal spending and lots of it. No ordinary Starbucks will do, Mr. President, you need to step up for a six-pack of Red Bull.
Gross is uncannily accurate and has been talking for years about the profligate spending (and lax taxation) of Bush and the Republicans. What he presents in his letter is real and not altogether unlikely. However, it'll also go a long way to insuring that the future is far brighter for all Americans.
Two decades later, a who’s who of the national security establishment — George Shultz, Henry Kissinger, William Perry and Sam Nunn — is calling on the United States to lead a global campaign to devalue and eventually rid the world of nuclear weapons.None of these men (two former secretaries of state, a former secretary of defense and a former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee) are given to casual utopianism — or anything casual. They are trying to shock sensibilities.
In two opinion articles in The Wall Street Journal, they described a frightening new world of ever-expanding nuclear appetites, in which traditional deterrence no longer works. They argued that the only way for the United States to rally the cooperation it needs to confront such dangers is with a clear commitment to the goal of a world without nuclear weapons.
They called for backing that up with policies that have also long been anathema to hawks: including banning all nuclear testing, taking American and Russian missiles off of hair-trigger alert and agreement on “further substantial reductions” in both countries’ arsenals.
“I do not believe we can do this as a demand by countries that have nuclear weapons to countries that do not,” Mr. Kissinger says.
It is hard to see their proposals as anything but a rejection of President Bush’s failed nuclear weapons policy. Mr. Bush’s aides have spent eight years ridiculing arms control agreements as “old think” and denying any relationship between what America does with its own nuclear weapons and its obvious inability to constrain others’ behavior.
Posted by mcblogger at 12:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
GREAT Condo Ideas (now with even more alliteration)
So by now I guess we've all had a chance to drive by Barton Springs Road and survey the utter devastation wrought by the Condo Crowd on a whole grove of oak trees. Grand, old oak trees, folks. We're talking trees so old that some of them bear marks where a youngish John McCain might have once carved himself out a pair of underwear.
I kid, of course (Duh! There warn't no underwear to be worn in his day! And that's the way it was and he LIKED it!) But seriously folks, even if you haven't observed the Botanical Bosnia on Barton Springs Road, you've still probably noticed that there seems to be a compulsion these days in some circles to build condos EVERYGAWDAMWHERE within a five mile radius of downtown.
As the Annihilation Abutting AustinJava and other akin architectural atrocities so audaciously amplify, a vast supply of urban condominiums in the $300K-and-up range is now Austin's paramount civic value. What does that portend for our fair Waterloo's future? Here are my guesses:
and of course, the Crown Jewel of Austin's condofication...
Posted by hbalczak at 09:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 28, 2008
Having some fun (at Brewster's expense)
We're everywhere... including City Hall
Mayor Pro Tem is always given to the Council member with the most seniority which is, at the time, unfortunately Brewster. But, rumor has it, as of Monday there was not a Council member willing to make a "motion", or even "second" a motion, on Brewster's nomination to MPT. Awkwardly, the Mayor - who usually runs the meeting - had to act as a "second" to nominate the MPT.
Now, here's the thing that really sucks... Despite the need to hold a vote, a full week before the inauguration ceremony and council election of MPT, Councilman McCracken moved into the Mayor Pro Tem office, creating anger in City Hall at his complete disregard for process.
We at McBlogger fully expect Brewster to use the office of Mayor Pro Tem to relentlessly run for Mayor. Honestly, we're looking forward to it. It's always amusing to see Brewster masturbate his ego by jumping in front of the reporters who are desperately trying to escape from him.
RELEASE THE MCCRACKEN!
Posted by mcblogger at 01:50 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 27, 2008
What you need to know
1) San Marcos has a municipal airport.
2) It is now on fire.
3) I did not start it (I'm no where near SM at the moment).
Posted by mcblogger at 12:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 26, 2008
Something funny
See more here... and if you're offended, you're a tard.
Posted by mcblogger at 12:21 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 25, 2008
No. Really? You're Kidding me. Stop.
Welcome to George Bush's economy... and just FYI, don't feel too bad for some of the poor, especially the rural poor. They've been voting Republican and they'll keep voting Republican.
Actually, screw that. Feel bad for them anyway. You try to feed a family of four on minimum wage. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.
And thanks to the Statesman for pointing out the mind numbingly obvious. Really. I never would have guessed that someone would have problems surviving on a wage that, hourly, barely pays for a gallon of unleaded.
Posted by mcblogger at 05:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Apple Annie's gets a loan
The City has agreed to give a downtown restaurant/bakery/catering company a loan to keep it downtown. Before you get upset, read the details. It's a small part of their overall financial need and it's not forgivable.
I do have a bit of a problem with the below market interest rate, but honestly, it achieves an objective... namely keeping a business and jobs downtown.
Good work, y'all.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 20, 2008
Anyone want to have dinner at Castle Hill?
I've loved Castle Hill for years. I've taken people there for lunch, dinner and occasionally on some really awful dates. To hear that it's closing hurts.
Castle Hill Cafe, the restaurant that became well known as an affordable fine-dining spot, is closing at the end of this month after more than two decades in business because the owner says it has become too expensive to operate with rising food and gas prices."It's too hard, to be honest, way too hard for us," owner Cathe Dailey said Thursday. She said it seems like each day brings another cost increase in one or more items.
Next week she will shut down the nearly 22-year-old restaurant and transform the space into an interior Mexican eatery with a full bar.
Now I know how some of you folks felt about Las Manitas. Even though their food sucks ass.
Posted by mcblogger at 09:10 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
June 19, 2008
Winning the stupid olympics
There is NOT some giant, trillion barrel reserve under the Rockies. Or ANWR. Or the Gulf. Oh sure, there's a ton of oil down there but it's expensive to bring up. Too expensive by far to help us out. So quit lying to people, Joe Barton. And lose some weight because you're getting hella fat. Assweavil.
Hey MSM... ask Kay Granger what the per barrel cost will be to produce oil out of ANWR and how much it could realistically produce in a year. Watch the steam come out of her ears. Yes, Reporters, things really are that goddamn simple. Ask any analyst. Better yet, since you won't believe my blogging ass, ask Matt Simmons.
WP has more including information on Burgess' little Energy Expo which just sounds precious. If you like pandering bullshit and lies. Someone go and tell us if he actually says prices will fall immediately.
Hava Goodun!
Posted by mcblogger at 01:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The good news and the bad news
The good news is that Austin Energy apparently has 3GW of capacity to keep us airconditioned. The bad news? This is likely to be the hottest June on record.
Austin has an average of 11 triple-digit days each year, but so far this year there have been 14, KVUE chief meteorologist Mark Murray said."Right now, this is on track to be the warmest June in Austin history," Murray said.
I hate you, Mark Murray. I really, really hate you.
And yes, I know I said quit whining about the heat. Because it's Texas. But this is hella hot and it's way too early.
Posted by mcblogger at 08:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Help Democrats TODAY
Posted by mcblogger at 12:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 18, 2008
So, will CapMet be smart or dumb this time?
CapMet has a number of plans for Light Rail projects (like the starter line from Downtown to Mueller) but they have to be approved by voters prior to starting. So, one has to ask... WITH NOVEMBER COMING UP, WILL CAPMET BE SMART AND PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT?
I mean, it's not like there won't be a flood of progressives going to the polls in November. If ever there were a time to get voters to sign off on long range plans, this would be it. Everyone is feeling higher fuel prices and the voters that will show up in November will be ones who are very likely to vote for anything that will cut the Austin Metro's carbon footprint.
SO DO IT ALREADY.
Posted by mcblogger at 01:20 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
June 17, 2008
More good polling out of CD10
Matt over at BOR has some details. When polling head to head with issues, LJD is beating McCaul. Which is some really good news.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 13, 2008
In other news...
He'll also get a 401(k). Always nice to know that useless people can find gainful employment in the private sector. Even if they're only useful working the levers of government while there.
What a douche
Hava Goodun!
Posted by mcblogger at 11:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
What color cummerbund?
While the Mayor and I anxiously await the victory coronation of El Cid, petitions addressing local energy, traffic, and immigration issues are being composed for presentation to Galindo on his first day as city councilman.
1. Construct a nuclear power plant in Zilker Park. Relax already, the neighborhood associations will come to the rescue and compromise will allow the environmentalists to paint a giant peace sign on the cooling tower, and xeriscape the surroundings. There, don’t you feel better? Now, go back to your “Sex and the City” update before you stroke out.
2. Make I35 a toll road from county line to county line. Again, don’t get your panties in a bind. A toll-free bike lane will be created down the middle. In a compromise with developers, the bicyclists will have to share the lane with beam-hauling semis and cement trucks traveling downtown to build more high rises. Hat’s off to the “Big Morph”
So all you anti-toll road people go away, your making my head hurt. Jennifer Kim’s stance on toll roads didn’t help her, Kirk Watson is on the rise, and Dawnna Dukes is still alive and kicking. As for Sarah Eckhardt and Mark Strama – we won’t go there. Maybe you need to rethink that oust the louse strategy.
3. Johnston High School. Forget about it. We’re sure Cid has contacts with detention center operators. Seriously, I’m getting tired of driving out to Taylor to protest. If East Austin activists chain themselves to the bike racks and go on a hunger strike, then maybe Cid will be forced to convert the school into real low-cost condos to house the workers who will do the labor in developing the 130 corridor.
Of course, Richard Suttle will negotiate these deals with his Texas cornpone homespun charm and the compassionate conservativism that his “progressive” wife instilled in him. That sure sounds familiar.
What is the point of this rant? When neighborhood associations and a loose coalition of a small number of activists are your last line of defense against developers who have all the time and money in the world, don’t expect a miracle from your city council members who are either overwhelmed by the onslaught or have their own agendas to nurture.
Keep Austin Developed
Posted by Captain Kroc at 07:20 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
June 10, 2008
It wasn't me...
Apparently, someone thought the Governor's Mansion remodel wasn't going too well. So, they decided to torch the place.
One thing is absolutely certain... there is no possible way I could have done this. I complete my projects.
Posted by mcblogger at 11:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 06, 2008
We went drinking
And by WE, I mean I. AND I TRIED TO DRINK EVERY THING AT CEDAR DOOR.
I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to absolutely no one. Except Eileen who came late after suffering through the Clinton party.
I'm sorry for laughing at you.
OH MY GOD, was I the only one freaking out a little at the number of people at the Blogger's Caucus last night? And, yes! I've already been informed that I was 'a little embarrassing'. I don't need you to remind me.
Right now there's a song by Eazy E going through my head...
I gotta get drunk before the day begins before my mother starts bitchin about ma friends
To whoever 'supplemented' the tab last night at Cedar Door, my thanks.
Posted by mcblogger at 10:29 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 05, 2008
Bottoms UP
Posted by mcblogger at 02:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Convention Post We Can No Longer Avoid
Right now, as I write this (and while I'm enjoying MY LAST BOWL OF CAUCUS CRUNCH ... THANK GOD), thousands of people are gleefully packing their bags in preparation for a trip to Austin for the Democratic State Convention. They are earnestly working through their tackiest accessories in an attempt to come up with the most repulsive thing they have which will let all who see them know that THEY ARE DEMOCRATS. Very, very tacky Democrats, but Democrats nonetheless.
I'm not one of THOSE Democrats. I'm one of the "Oh my God, when can we get done with this so we can get to the bar" Democrats. I really don't look at the convention any differently than, say, Tuesday. But that's me. If you it's you as well, email me at mcblogger@mcblogger.com. I might tell you where we'll be drinking. Or I might email you porn. You wouldn't BELIEVE some of the japscat I have on my blackberry.
See y'all this weekend!
Posted by mcblogger at 09:14 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 04, 2008
TXDOT, Tolls and riding off into the Sunset
Some interesting things floating 'round the sphere...