May 02, 2008
Cocktail Flu and early conference calls
It's been a rough morning at McBlogger HQ. We overdid things last night first at the SFA, then at the Alamo where we went to see The Beast Within.
I probably wouldn't have had quite so much had I known that the downtown Alamo has a LIQUOR LICENSE, making it a vast improvement over all the Alamo's in existence and those that came before. And now we don't have to sneak in a flask.
Quit judging me.
Truth be told, it's less alcohol and more lack of sleep since I had a conference call that started at 7:00.
YES. I can go to bed at 3:00 and wake up at 6:30. I'm cool like that. And by cool, I mean ready to bitchslap folks for even minor infractions.
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January 04, 2008
Newsweek and the TTC
You know, it pisses me off when I have to link to something on World Net Daily. However, they are spot on regarding the NAFTA superhighway, known here in Texas as the TTC.
Hell, I don't think there is a conspiracy to combine all of North American into one super government. However, the road is real. In fact, despite all the bullshit from the Lege about a moratorium, Cintra is moving full speed ahead. Only now they are operating under a Texas DBA named 'Bluebonnet Infrastructure'. You know, you morons can change the name all you want, but it's still the same shitty road, with the same shitty funding mechanism and it's still going to be stopped.
So much for Carona's love affair with TXDOT. Way to get something accomplished, you fatass blow hard.
EOW also has some great information up about the appointees to the legislative study committee... no surprise, they're all pro-toll and pro-TTC. $100 says they'll find tolls the only way to fund our transportation infrastructure. Another $100 says no one in the press will call bullshit.
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December 15, 2007
Catching up...
Sorry about not posting anything yet. Some of us are just waking up. AND QUIT SHOUTING AT ME, at least until I get the first bloody down.
God help us with the clusterfuck of campaigns that are about to start to replace him. What are there, six possible candidates? Ronnie, you couldn't have waited until Feb 1st just to have saved us some pain?
180 days. 31 pages. No decision. Is there ANY doubt in ANYONE'S mind at this point that Wheelie is thoroughly incompetent? It's largely irrelevant since this old bastard won't be Speaker in January, 2009. The fun will be after that... will the members actively shun him and work against everything until he resigns? Y'all better.
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November 13, 2007
Dregs : Some things you missed
Oh, there's more...
Have a goodun!
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September 25, 2007
Roundup time in the TPA...
You like the roundup? Well, frankly, so do I and not just because someone else compiles all the posts, codes them and send them out to me. I also love reading what all these amazing people have to say. But the not having to do any work part is real nice...
This week's installment is compiled by the amazing Vince from Capitol Annex.
It's about one thing. TXsharon at Bluedaze tells us why we have to make it about something else.
Bill Howell of StoutDemBlog, a new member of the Texas Progressive Alliance, takes a look at Kirk England's recent party switch as well as other recent party switches in Dallas County in Rove's Permanent Majority Collapses: Now What Do We Do With All These Defectors?
Boadicea at Texas Kaos wonders if MoveOn doesn't owe John Cornyn a thank you note.
Musings discovers that the lead GOP presidential contenders are too busy for Black and Latino sponsored debates, while the local Harris County GOP claim they are home to Hispanics because of their once a year bike give away.
Gary at Easter Lemming Liberal News has word on Mayor Manlove of Pasadena entering the race to challenge Lampson for Congress and the mayor's race it opens up He also has a short colorful digest of Naomi Klein promoting her book on Disaster Capitalism.
WCNews at Eye on Williamson posts on recent news that Gov. Perry and Speaker Craddick - who Krussee excoriated at the end of the legislative session--will appear at a fundraiser for him in Krusee Throws Reagan Over The Wall And Under The Bus.
Mayor McSleaze at McBlogger takes a look at some of the dumber things to come out of the right this week, like Bill O'Reilly's trip to a Harlem hot spot where he discovered that it was just like a 'real' restaurant, you know, like Olive Garden.
Off the Kuff looks at the causes and effects of Kirk England's party switch.
Refinish69 at Doing My Part For The Left looks at UT football and ask a simple question - UTLonghorns or UT Thugs.
Burnt Orange Report and its diarists are following the Kirk England switchover with enthusiasm. After breaking the story on Wednesday, the entirestaff, welcomes the newest Democrat to the House.
KT at Stop Cornyn shows how Junior Senator John Cornyn is wasting time again. Instead of getting funding for CHIP or getting our troops the armor they need, John Cornyn forced a vote condemning MoveOn.org. Yet another example of failed leadership and Junior John being out of touch with Texas needs.
Evan at the Caucus Blog covered two major stories this week. First, after months of investigation, discussion, and debate, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus has decided to endorse the HISD bond proposal. Second, Evan has looked into the history of the fight for a federal Employment Non-discrimination Act in the post "ENDA Deja Vu."
Bradley at North Texas Liberal discusses how Washington, D.C. almost had the vote, but lost it due to greedy Senate Republicans. Only eight Republicans could be bothered to vote for the legendary bill that would have allowed the District a voting member of Congress.
The marriage of the Republican party to theocracy is no accident. Right wing investors like Richard Mellon Scaife are molding US churches, notes CouldBeTrue at in "What does an El Paso Church have to do with the right wing" at South Texas Chisme.
It was quite a week for Senator Box Turtle; he led the Senate charge against free speech, voted against habeas corpus, and against adequate down time for our soldiers. As PDiddie at Brains and Eggs points out, he now owns the war on terror -- in addition to the war on the Constitution and all Americans. But he did unwittingly sponsor a successful fundraiser for MoveOn.org, so he wasn't a complete failure.
WhosPlayin joins a local Republican activist in opposing tax abatements for speculative real estate development in Lewisville.
Vince at Capitol Annex has been keeping tabs on the Texas Conservative Coalition and its town hall meetings across East Texas in which they propose to eliminate property taxes in favor of an expanded sales tax, and points out that at least one new candidate has already started drinking their Kool-Aid.
Hal at Half Empty was at a campaign kickoff fundraiser for Ron Reynolds who is running for State Rep in HD 27. He took videos and did a series. Links to the series is at his summary posting: Ron E. Reynolds is Running for State
Rep in HD 27.
Blue 19th notes that Randy Neugebauer can't hide his contempt for veterans from everyone. So which party was it that supported our troops? Oh yeah, the one that doesn't start with "Republican".
No? No! Yes? Yes! Texas Cloverleaf reports on Trinity Vote Trickery Confusing ballot language and campaign slogans cloud the upcoming Trinity Toll Road vote in Dallas.
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September 17, 2007
Dregs : TPA Round Up
It's Monday, and that means it's time for another Texas Progressive Alliance Blog Round-Up. This week's round up is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex. As the TPA welcomed aboard a few new members this week, you may notice some new names and blogs.
Muse at Musings liveblogs Lap Dog Cornyn’s portion of Petraeus’ appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee this past week and notes that he slobbers all over himself praising the surge.
McBlogger at McBlogger goes to the CAMPO meeting on the Phase 2 toll roads and finds lies, damn lies and statistics as well as an Austin City Council Member who seems hell bent on ending his political career. Is resurrection possible? Sure... if you believe McCracken is the second coming. Spoiler alert: McBlogger doesn't.
While on vacation, PDiddie at Brains and Eggs discovered quite a few similarities between the Texas Legislature and the Nevada State Assembly.
Good news brought by TXsharon at Bluedaze: Bush Economy Solves Obesity Problem!
Could Be True at South Texas Chisme notes that the Republican tactics of purging voter rolls, creating barriers to voting, and discouraging new voter registration are moving right along and could get serious in Bexar County.
After the demolition of yet another historic structure in Houston, Charles at Off the Kuff looks at what can be done to abet preservation efforts going forward.
Adam Silva of Three Wise Men, blogging for the UNT Democrats, provides a detailed analysis of competitive U.S. Senate races for 2008.
City life can be complicated-but it includes an awfully lot of conveniences that we take utterly for granted-as long as they work. In Houston, We Have a Problem, on Texas Kaos, The Houston Organization of Public Employees (HOPE) invites all of us to get a little taste, so to speak, of what it takes to keep the fourth largest city in the nation running.
WhosPlayin notes that some Republican Members of Congress just don't know when to stop digging a hole in continuing to support a failed president.
Evan Leslie at Caucus Blog reviews the Houston GLBT Political Caucus's deliberations over its potential endorsement of the Houston Independent School District bond
proposal.
Since 9/11, an increasingly strident message of xenophobia has seeped into both fringe and mainstream political movements. A new climate of exclusion has formed as a result of this country's heightened anxiety against racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. Whether or not intended as such, new Texas Progressive Alliance member Xicno Pwr at ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! tells us we are in the midst of a growing culture of hate as the number of hate crimes in this country are on the rise.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the unintended consequences of the 2003 GOP redistricting scheme in Are Democrats Statewide Prospects Improving Because Of GOP Gerrymandering?
Refinish69, another recent addition to the TPA, at Doing My Part for the Left examines sex scandals and hypocrites in the Repugnant Party and Texas Stonewall Caucus.
Have Republicans moved in a "ringer" to challenge Chet Edwards in TX-CD 17? Vince addresses that in a post at Capitol Annex.
The Texas Clover Leaf (a new member of the Alliance) notes that Alan Keyes has entered the GOP race for President, but asks if he is actually the Republican's version of Obama.
Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal tells us about the controversy surrounding the preservation of trees at the Trinity Trail in Ft. Worth.
John at Bay Area Houston tells us that Jared Woodfill, Chairman of he Harris County Republican Party, must think Hispanics are stupid with his recent op-ed in the Houston Chronicle "Hispanics can feel right at home in the Texas GOP".
Jack Cluth at The People's Republic of Seabrook notes that it would seem that we've learned nothing from the 60s. Today, in allegedly-enlightened 21st century America, a man or woman can be fired from their job in 31 states for the simple fact of being a homosexual. Regardless of how you feel about the "lifestyle", how can anyone who values liberty and freedom be OK with this...especially with Americans dying in Iraq to "protect and defend out freedom"?
Jaye at Winding Road in Urban Area addresses several things, including machine-gun-toting cops in a 'brain dump,' post, The Stream of Consciousness Just Overflowed the Toilet. (Please flush!)
Todd Hill (another new addition to the Texas Progressive Alliance) blogging at Burnt Orange Report tells us all about a North Texas Tribute to Speaker Jim Wright.
Matt at Stop Cornyn tells us how John Cornyn worked to disenfranchise minority voters while he was Attorney General.
Don't forget to check out other Texas Progressive Alliance blogs, too: BlueBloggin (new member!), The Agonist, Blue 19th (new member!), In The Pink Texas, Grassroots News U Can Use (new member!), The Caucus Blog (new member!), The Texas Blue (new member!), Casual Soap Box, Common Sense, Dos Centavos, Easter Lemming Liberal News, Feet To Fire, Marc’s Miscellany, Rhetoric & Rhythm, Three Wise Men, Truth Serum Blog, and Wyld Card.
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September 05, 2007
Dregs : TPA Round Up 9/2
(I was totally supposed to post this on Monday but I forgot. Because I was getting some fantastic head from a US Senator)
Even though it's Labor Day, Texas Progressive bloggers are still hard at work, and so the Texas Progressive Alliance is proud to present the TPA Blog Round-Up for September 3, 2007. This Labor Day edition was compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.
In the opening part of his in-depth series on the policies of the Democratic presidential candidates, Phillip Martin at Burnt Orange Report examines where the candidates fall on issues concerning energy and the environment. From their stance on CAFE standards to new coal plants, to renewable energy and greenhouse emissions, the post provides a well-sourced comparison of all 8 of the candidates' platforms.
Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal lets us know that, even after embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' resignation, Texas' unpopular Sen. John Cornyn is still defending Bush's crony.
As Bush prepares to ask Congress for $200 billion in supplemental spending TXsharon at Bluedaze tells us just who The Iraq War Profiteers are.
Muse at Musings liveblogs NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's press conference about astronauts and alcohol use and finds his "sensationalism" and "urban legend" accusations of the independent commission¹s report a little tiresome. Not to mention defensive.
Over at Texas Kaos, in "Clinton Did Nothing to Stop Bin Laden" Is a GOP Lie, Krazypuppy takes on the Republican lie that Democrats are soft on terror with some of them facts we in the Reality Based Community are always on about. As one commenter notes, Dems aren't weak on terror, they're weak on Republicans. Time for that to change, for America's sake, Iran's sake, and the entire world's sake.
Someone shoved a press release under Hal at Half Empty's nose: Ron E. Reynolds will challenge Dora Olivo for state Representative in HD 27.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on TxDOT's plan to buy back interstate highways from the federal government and put tolls on them and asks Will TxDOT' Plan To Toll Interstates Be Tipping Point?
The last public hearing prior to METRO choosing a route for its Universities light rail line was this past Tuesday. Alexandria Ragsdale attended the hearing, made her statement in favor of a Richmond Avenue alignment, and blogged all about it at Off The Kuff
Whosplayin.com shares correspondence with his Congressman urging the avoidance of pre-emptive war against Iran and shares a study regarding the administrations probable plans on the matter.
John at Bay Area Houston claims the recent changes to the Texas Residential Construction Commission makes it the most expensively worthless Commission in Texas.
Vince at Capitol Annex examines some interesting questions raised by the lawsuit against the changes to the pledge to the Texas flag made by the 80th Legislature.
Unchecked development in Texas now threatens the continued long-term existence of an iconic bird species, the Whooping Crane, notes Peter at B & B.
CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme shows how El Paso Women are taking a stand against NAFTA. These courageous women staged a hunger strike for the Labor Day weekend to bring attention to the loss of American jobs due to NAFTA.
And, McBlogger will be celebrating a birthday soon and has some conveniet gift ides for everyone.
Be sure to check out these other great Texas Progressive Alliance blogs, too: Brains & Eggs, Casual Soap Box, Common Sense, Dos Centavos, Easter Lemming Liberal News, Feet To Fire, In The Pink Texas, Marc's Miscellany, People's Republic of Seabrook, Rhetoric & Rhythm, Three Wise Men, Truth Serum Blog, Winding Road In Urban Area,
and Wyld Card.
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August 27, 2007
Dregs : TPA Round Up for 8/27
It's time once again for the weekly Texas Progressive Alliance blog round-up. This week's round-up is brought to you by Vince from Capitol Annex.
Getting this week's round-up off to a great start, we want to thank our friends over at the 50 State Blog Network for taking note of our round-up and mentioning it in their round-up.
John at Bay Area Houston thinks it is time to drag Ari Fleisher out of town for using disabled vets in his pro-war commercials.
After the space shuttle safely landed this week, Krazypuppy at Texas Kaos wonders "Who Does an Astronaut Have to Bleep to Get Some Attention From the Media?"
At Bluedaze, TXsharon tell us that Barnett Shale drilling with it's insatiable thirst for fresh water is just another kind of blood for oil war. Barnett Shale Drilling: It's not sexy but Noriega for TX US Sen. is.
Alexandra Pelosi screened her documentary "Friends of God" in Houston last Thursday, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the report.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the lawsuit filed against Round Rock Independent School District for allowing prayer at high school commencements in Graduation Prayer At Three RRISD High Schools Draws Lawsuit.
Todd Hill at Burnt Orange Report talks impeachment. Funny thing is because independent Linda Curtis is working to "Impeach Perry".
Stop Cornyn talks endorsements this week. Watts has picked up a few mayorial endorsements in the Valley and Lt. Col. Rick Noriega is getting the endorsement of some big statewide Democrats Monday. Our chances continue to look good in 2008.
Steve Southwell at WhosPlayin.com finds himself agreeing with a Republican city councilman regarding the government's role in banning smoking in restaurants and bars.
Vince at Capitol Annex continues his exploration of the last days of the 80th Texas Legislature and the events surrounding the resignations of the House Parliamentarians and uncovers a smoking gun--an opinion drafted by former Legislator and now-Parliamentarian Terry Keel days before he was appointed to the post.
Muse muses about 8th graders--including her own--who are on the front lines of Texas' education accountability system.
Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal asks some important questions concerning education and a forthcoming campaign for intelligent design in the classroom.
Easter Lemming spots censorship and uncivil airwaves on Houston radio news. He relates that to the censored radio guest and himself become less conservative years ago when exposed to the Wall Street rape of employees in leveraged buyouts.
McBlogger takes some time out of his far too busy schedule to bash all the immigrants in Austin.
Half Empty writes about Rick Noriega's Enthusiastic Ovation at the SDEC quarterly meeting this past weekend.
Off the Kuff asks how students can be expected to understand the debate over evolution and "intelligent design" when it's clear that neither SBOE members nor newspaper reporters really understand it.
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August 23, 2007
Dregs : Allstate gets slapped down; War Vet gets used and a new blog
Allstate’s increase in home insurance rates was abruptly canceled by state Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin on Tuesday, just one day after the company announced it was raising them to cover potential increases in property losses.Besides rejecting the insurer’s proposed 5.9 percent statewide rate hike, the commissioner also slapped the company with a related order that blocks Allstate from raising premiums without prior approval from the Texas Department of Insurance. Only one other company – State Farm – is under such state supervision of its rates.
Mr. Geeslin said he had no choice but to act quickly since Allstate announced Monday that it would immediately increase the cost of its homeowner policies as they came up for renewal.
The reality is that Texans, compared to the rest of the nation, pay exorbitant rates while receiving less coverage. Of course, Allstate will threaten to leave... and the state should call their bluff and raise them self-insurance. Sorry, but if private companies can't get the job done better than the government, then why the hell do they even exist.
Try again, Allstate
“What bothered me the most is that Ari Fleischer didn’t even know the guy’s name.” said Rieckhoff. “He’s willing to run a multi-million dollar campaign, utilizing the personal story of a soldier, and he couldn’t tell you on national TV what that soldier’s name is.”
Nice, Ari.
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August 07, 2007
Dregs : TPA roundup
It's Monday, and that means it is time once again for the Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Blog Round-Up, where we review the best in Texas blogging from our various member blogs. This week's installment is brought to you by Vince at Capitol Annex.
TxSharon at BlueDaze brings us an interesting story about drilling companies in Wise County getting caught lying about water usage. Sometimes, the truth just slips out as it did when an oil field worker told TXsharon the truth about water usage in
Barnett Shale drilling: Depleting and polluting our water in Wise County, Texas.
Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal asks " Will There Be Mercy For Kenneth Foster?"
John C. at Bay Area Houston Blog tells us about the newest corporation and industry to exploit the Federal Arbitration Act-- Comcast, in Another
Consumer Scam: Comcast Arbitration.
If you want pictures of Rick Noriega at YearlyKos, Charles at Off The Kuff has them here.
McBlogger at McBlogger looks at the mortgage industry brouhaha and decides the sky isn't falling after all.
Easter Lemming does another of his Liberal News Digest's from progressive media. There really is a liberal news media, if you know where to look outside the mass media.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts regarding Williamson County County Attorney Jana Duty filing a brief with AG Greg Abbott regarding whether County Judge and Commissioners can use outside counsel without the County Attorney's consent in County Attorney Asks AG Abbott For Opinion On Hiring Of Outside Legal Counsel.
Hal at Half Empty points out that if you want quality education don't come to school bond issue meetings with box cutters.
Vince at Capitol Annex
takes a look at the briefs filed before the Attorney General in the opinion request on the power of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
South Texas Chisme tells how FEMA dollars are being used to shill for Allstate agents.
And...Several Texas bloggers were also represented at Yearly Kos in Chicago, and did some great liveblogging. Here are some samples: Burnt Orange
Report; Muse from Musings was liveblogging all over the place, including at her blog where she brings us the ePluribus interview with Rick
Noriega; Markos
of DailyKos' special endorsement of Rick Noriega; a session on female bloggers; liveblogging of the the
presidential forum; and at Capitol Annex where she blogged more on the female blogger session here,
the MSN-blog panel (also here,
here,
and here); and on the Local Blogging Round-Table at Musings.
And, don’t forget about these other Texas Progressive Alliance Members:
Three Wise Men,
In The Pink Texas,
Marc’s Miscellany,
Common Sense,
The Agonist,
People’s Republic of Seabrook,
B and B,
Brains and Eggs,
Texas Kaos,
Feet To The Fire,
and Who’s Playin’.
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July 25, 2007
Dregs : 39% in another scandal; Ciro has a weak opponent; Judge Criss and Noriega takes command
Hundreds of residents at Texas’ state schools for the mentally retarded have suffered serious abuse and neglect at the hands of those paid to watch over them, a Dallas Morning News review shows.Documents released by all but three of the 12 state schools operated by the state Department of Aging and Disability Services outline everything from horrific physical violence and neglect to frightening verbal threats, derogatory slurs and pranks.(DMN)
Posted by mcblogger at 12:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 16, 2007
Dregs : VoterID, Tolls and Oh My God, could TYC suck more?
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April 28, 2007
Dregs : NAIS-lite; Burka's advice; King loves some TXU and more
hope that cooler heads prevail. The anti-Craddicks have had their fun with Craddick's bill. It's time to grow up now. Do I have to bring up the name "Arlene Wohlgemuth?" Has everybody forgotten the Memorial Day massacre when she killed the calendar in the waning days of the session? Nobody thought that was OK. It was irresponsible then and it's irresponsible now. Dunnam and the rest of the Democrat leadership have been an effective opposition this session, but they will marginalize themselves if they become total obstructionists. This has been a session when Democrats have been able to participate as equals in committee and to influence bills, even pass them. Don't throw a hissy fit over not being allowed to kill the calendar.
The 'obstructionist' label only works if there is a silence from the accused. In case you haven't noticed, the D's are running circles, when it comes to message, around the Republicans to whom no one is listening anyway. It's funny, but of all people I would have expected Burka to realize that the world is changing. Rapidly.
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February 15, 2007
Dregs : Bush cuts VA benefits; Paris Hilton; Breaking the cap
Posted by mcblogger at 01:36 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 26, 2007
Dregs: Gilbert, CHIP and Clean Air
Next up are comments made by Phil King and others regarding clean air, as well as a review of a wonderful new film titled "TXU goes to Washington", which is about a stodgy old company, eager to remake the world... and change Washington. It's Capra-esque only in the sense that it takes place in Washington. It actually borrows from both Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It's A Wonderful Life and combines the best both in that it's Mr. Potter (TXU) who goes to Washington (Washington)
Posted by mcblogger at 06:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 15, 2007
Dregs : Granger, The Eminent Domainatrix; Shitting in the river and PWT
Fort Worth Republican Kay Granger has been bitten by the same bug that has recently tarnished the Republican Party in demonstrating the art of cronyism with a hint of corruption. It all adds up to a recipe for the Trinity River Project that will end up screwing the taxpayer, and certainly the poor working class in the end. Working with State Representative Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth), both have managed to ensure that the potential the Trinity River Project had in economically revitalizing Forth Worth is riddled with perks for family, friends, and Republican-leaning entities. In the end the working class, small business owners, and minority neighborhoods surrounding the area affected will be negatively impacted.
The City of Austin said their South Austin Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant released partially treated wastewater mixed with fully-treated wastewater and rain into the Colorado River.
How much is a little? 1.6 MILLION GALLONS of full treated and partially treated wastewater. Way to play it down, News 8.
Seriously, I love me a picture of PWT all worked up about 'emmigrents'
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December 19, 2006
Bring the Funny
Seriously. Someone. Please Bring the Funny.
Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) will make the case for his presidential candidacy on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight.
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November 20, 2006
Dregs : Houston janitors win; drafting a new Draft; and Ogden's gone crazy
We have reached a tentative agreement for a 3 year contract for janitors.Wages: $1.15 increase the first year, $1.00 the second year, and $.50 the third year.
Health Care: The third year is when single payer health insurance will kick in and janitors will pay $20 per month into that plan. It is a plan
designed and managed by SEIU and we are hoping to get all of our members nationwide on this plan.Vacation: Two weeks paid vacation per year
Holidays: 6 paid Holidays
Hours: 1st year everyone must work a minimum of 4 hours a day, 2nd year everyone must work a minimum of 5 hours per day, 3rd year everyone must work
a minimum of 6 hours per day.Protection: We have a grievance procedure in place. We have protection for all of the striking workers to get their jobs back with no discipline, We have a disciplinary proceedure in place so that no one can be illegally fired for no reason any more.
“Once a road has been built and the money from tolls have paid for that road, the tolls should go away,” he said. “I also want to review the TxDOT comprehensive development agreement for the Trans-Texas Corridor to understand if employing a foreign-based company for the job is the best thing in order to make sure we're not making a huge mistake. There will be a lot of attention to the Trans-Texas Corridor.”
Senator Ogden, no offense but you really suck. You voted to make these permanent toll facilities. That bears repeating, YOU VOTED TO MAKE THESE PERMANENT TOLL FACILITIES. Of course the tolls should eventually go away. Of couse a TXDoT should be running these roads, not a private contractor, even if they are going to be tolled. None of that is in question, Senator Ogden. What is at question is your poor judgement in passing the legislation that created this mess in the first place.
Senator, you're going to have a primary challenger in 2010. You'll also have a Democratic opponent. Either way, you are not going to be serving as an elected official in 2011. Trying to save your ass with lip service will not save you. If you really feel this way, THEN FUCKING DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
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November 06, 2006
Dregs : Welcome to the fam, Doogie; Censorship of NOW and Suprise! It's Saddam!
The good news is that KNCT relented and is allowing the program to air, un censored. Score yet another victory for Team Harrell
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November 02, 2006
Dregs : Economy in the crapper, Craddick blames 9/11 and more
Posted by mcblogger at 04:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 27, 2006
Dregs : NIE Online; More on John Davis; Arctic ice sheet dilutes the drink
Posted by mcblogger at 07:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 19, 2006
Dregs : Amaranth and TRS?, Coal isn't dirty, damnit!, John Davis ethically challenged
CapAnnex also has a post up about some retard newspaper beating up on Laura Miller and Bill White for fighting against these new pollution generators.
Posted by mcblogger at 03:06 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 14, 2006
Al Qaida to nuke US late in the month
uh, yeah... whatev. As a side note, if a significant portion of an American city DOES evaporate suddenly in a nuclear fire, wouldn't that mean that everything the R's have been feeding us for years is bullshit?
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September 03, 2006
Dregs : Hokey Pokey with Ciro; Hezbocrats? Fuck you, Wal-Mart
But, yesterday, Herman Cain, one of the steering committee members of Wal-Mart’s front group and a well-known right-wing commentator, completely crossed the line in a column he wrote by describing Democrats who are standing up, on behalf of working families, and asking Wal-Mart to be a responsible corporation as “Hezbocrats.”
What an idiot and waht a fuck up for Wal-Mart. Click here to let them know that pisses you off. Also, check out this site... very nice
Posted by mcblogger at 02:13 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
August 29, 2006
CBS all excited about Survivor:Race War
I don't watch reality TV, mostly because it makes you dumber and as we all know that's the last thing I need. For instance, I set myself on fire last night while boiling pasta. And I wasn't even drinking yet, can you beat that? I thought not. Don't even try to compete with me in the stupid olympics. I win every time...
Apparently, the NYC City Council has decided to take the initiative and enter the stupid olympics as a team, despite the fact that they are sure to lose to my vastly superior retardation.
NEW YORK - As CBS prepares to launch a new season of the hit reality show "Survivor," this time featuring teams divided by race, enraged city officials are saying it promotes divisiveness and are calling for the network to reconsider. ADVERTISEMENT"The idea of having a battle of the races is preposterous," City Councilman John Liu said Thursday. "How could anybody be so desperate for ratings?"
Well, Councilman Liu, it is CBS, the network that brought us King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond and The Nanny. I would say they are pretty damn desperate.
Still, I won't watch and isn't that really the best way to get a network not to do something? Protest all you want but a sure and certain way to get a show 86'd is to just change the channel.
Honestly, I don't know why anyone would think that CBS would mishandle Survivor: Crackers v. Heebs v. Meskins v. Coloreds v. Chinks v. Dagos v. Drunken Micks.
Did I miss anyone? Seriously, let me know in the comments if there is an ethnic slur I left out. I think racism is stupid, but to completely ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist is even dumber. Let CBS run their show. We've got bigger things to worry about.
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August 28, 2006
Homeland Security couldn't secure a paper bag
What a damn joke. First up was this piece from a guy flying in Canada where it appears people are just as insanely stupid about security as they are here in Estados Unidos. Apparently, the dork (he took his iPod with him to the lav... it's a like a little kid dragging their favorite things all over the place) lost his iPod in the toilet which stopped it up and caused the flight crew to go batshit crazy and head for an emergency landing. Because of an iPod. Seriously, as dumb and loserish as this guy was (you don't know the half of it... click the link) for taking them damn thing with thim to the lav, the next part is balls out insanity.
Then comes word that TSA can't tell the diff between makeup and a bomb. In West Virginia, natch.
"The bomb squad is on site and the woman is being interviewed by the FBI," the TSA's Amy von Walter said. "It looks like there were four items containing liquids ... two of those containers tested positive."But law enforcement sources say the substances that tested positive were cosmetic-based products and not a threat CBS News reports.
So, the next time you go through the check point at your local airport, don't for a minute feel secure. You aren't because at anytime a terrorist iPod might fall into the toilet (and yes, they asked him if he wanted it back).
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August 13, 2006
Six lessons from the airplane bomb scare
Great article up at AlterNet on the appropriate lessons from Thursday's arrests. I doubt Lieberman or the White House will learn them, but it's worth throwing them up in the superize. Here's snapshot
Fifth, the plot again reveals how ill-equipped the U.S. Government has been in anticipating plausible attack scenarios and taking steps to prevent them. Liquid bombs were so hard to figure out? Al Qaeda already tried it. DHS has almost completely missed the threat, just as they are missing the vulnerability of cargo holds and God knows what else. Thomas Kean, the former GOP governor and co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, called this liquid bomb error “appalling” and wondered, on an NBC program four months ago, why no progress had been made. What are the tens of billions being spent on? This is Katrina II.
AlterNet
Six Lessons from the London Airline Bombing Plot
By John Tirman, AlterNet
Posted on August 12, 2006, Printed on August 13, 2006
http://www.alternet.org/story/40221/
What we now know about the London-based plot to destroy ten civilian airplanes points to six conclusions.
First, what stopped this plot was law enforcement. Law enforcement. Not a military invasion of Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, or Iraq. Old-fashioned surveillance, development of human sources, putting pieces together, and cooperation with foreign police and intelligence services.
Second, the conspiracy — if it resembles the London bombings of last summer — will likely be home-grown, another of the growing jihad "fashion" in Europe that comprises the new street gangs of this world. It is not a religious movement, it is not fundamentalism. These are thin veneers. It is at root sheer violence undertaken by young men resentful of many things (not least the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Lebanon) and ready to kill in return. Under different cirucmstances, it could be Tamils or Red Brigades or Michigan Militiamen, and has been.
Third, if al Qaeda was involved (allegedly from Pakistan), we can thank the failure of the war in Afghanistan and the cozying up to Musharraf to destroy them.
Fourth, there was no involvement by any American-based “cells,” according the FBI Director Robert Mueller. As many of us have been saying for nearly five years, and as the 9/11 Commission Report showed, there is virtually no plausible American jihad organization at work, and never has been.
Fifth, the plot again reveals how ill-equipped the U.S. Government has been in anticipating plausible attack scenarios and taking steps to prevent them. Liquid bombs were so hard to figure out? Al Qaeda already tried it. DHS has almost completely missed the threat, just as they are missing the vulnerability of cargo holds and God knows what else. Thomas Kean, the former GOP governor and co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, called this liquid bomb error “appalling” and wondered, on an NBC program four months ago, why no progress had been made. What are the tens of billions being spent on? This is Katrina II.
Sixth, and most important, we must end our involvement in Iraq and sharply refocus our presence in the region. The war president’s approach is not working. It’s a diversion from the real threat. It’s a spur to bitter revenge. It’s a big feedback loop that will endanger us for years, if not decades. Our lives are now at stake because the Bush catastrophe has created thousands of new terrorists.
Naturally, the politically expedient are trying to gain an edge. Defeated Senator Joseph Lieberman immediately attacked his victorious primary challenger Ned Lamont, saying that Lamont’s leave Iraq policy is somehow connected to this. It’s the opposite — the war distracts and inflames. We will see the crowing from the Bushies now, when in fact they were again asleep at the wheel, only this time the Brits saved the day. The war v. law enforcement contrast — remember how John Kerry was ridiculed by Cheney for uggesting that aggressive police work and human intelligence were anti-terror linchpins? — is now buried by conflating the “war against terror” in Iraq with this Scotland Yard and MI5 success.
Reversing America’s colossally destructive series of interventions in the Middle East — a cause, a trigger, a recruitment fountain, and a charity for jihad — will require an entirely different mindset, not just an adjustment or a measured retreat. When America responded, after being prodded, to the tsunami victims in Indonesia early last year, it profoundly changed Indonesians’ views of the United States. New attitudes of support and cooperation suddenly sprang forth. This “natural experiment” should be examined to learn from, possibly to emulate, in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere.
We’re now viewed as destroyers, and destruction is the retort. This is the “new Middle East” that is aborning — one of relentless violence — if we do not end our own relentless violence there. The would-be bombers in London are a reminder of how close it is.
John Tirman is Executive Director of MIT's Center for International Studies. His most recent book is 100 Ways America Is Screwing Up the World (Harper Perennial, 2006).
© 2006 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.
View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/40221/
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August 09, 2006
Dregs: GOP playbook and how to defeat it and What's up in 22
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August 08, 2006
Early Happy Hour : Staples, Lebanon, Casting Call and Roy's Taxi closes and more
Only 2:30 and already I'm bored with the day...
Let me say that I support Israel's right to defend itself. However, it goes without saying that the way they have prosecuted this conflict is nothing short of retarded.
Even Bush get's it...
Bush said any cease-fire must prevent Hezbollah from strengthening its grip in southern Lebanon, asserting that "it's time to address root causes of problems." He urged the United Nations to work quickly to approve a U.S.-French draft resolution to stop the hostilities.
I know, I know... if he'd only been that clever a couple of years ago.
Message to Garder Selby... Stayhorn is popular in Travis County as well (basically, everywhere but around the Capital where all those R foreigners work). Still doesn't mean she's going to win. However, if her media strategy involves TV that has her doing anything BUT being a giant, she's got a hell of a shot.
Shit... I stand corrected. Sorry, I forgot about him
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August 04, 2006
Dregs : Teachers in Trouble, Help out troops, Frost Bank Building sold and more
Let me make it clear: ANY ORGANIZATION THAT COMPLAINS ABOUT PENSION BENEFITS IS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY HAVEN'T PUT ENOUGH AWAY TO PAY BENEFITS. Everytime I hear about how expensive pensions have become I want to throw something because all this is the result of demographic changes that were ANTICIPATED decades ago. Actuaries have been saying since the early 80's that American businesses and governments are not putting away enough to meet future obligations. Don't let them get away with it!
The mixed part? Some of them DESERVE to become accustomed to eating catfood in their dotage. There are a significant numnber of teachers and public employees who've been 'voting their values'. Time y'all woke up and started voting your wallets and purses.
We fail to see how removing DeLay from the ballot would protect the voters, inasmuch as it was the voters themselves who selected DeLay as the Republican candidate for the general election.
Good job, TDP!
Have a goodun!
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