The House voted yesterday to take away the teacher incentive they agreed to last year and instead propose an $800 pay raise. Whoop dee shit. That's a whopping 38 cent per hour increase. Eight hundred dollars is one night's stay at the Four Seasons with dinner, drinks and breakfast. Excluding the obligatory hooker!
Texas, dead last in book smarts and commitment to education. When you've got people that barely have a sixth grade education in the legislature what do you expect? They do not value public education, school teachers, or students.
In most dramatic office building fire of the day. Chicago's Version here.
The TV is showing clips of British soldiers hitting the clubs and making asses of themselves while being held hostage in Iran. Oh wait, I've got my shows mixed up. Iran? Soldiers? Hostages? Oh just fuck me running. We seriously cannot catch a break can we?
Is Liz Richardson, John Kerry's Press Secretary, sending me press releases? Does anyone really care about John Kerry anymore?
Namely John McCain's MySpace page. Apparently the staffer who set up his MySpace page used a template and didn't give the creator credit for it. Not only that, they stole his bandwidth by not hosting their own images. Redonkulous.
To get back at McCain's campaign, the creator changed one of the images that he was hosting (and they were using) to say that McCain was now supporting gay marriage. It has since been taken down off the official MySpace page, but we present it here for posterity's sake.
Here's the full story.
This seems to follow the continuous pattern we've been seeing of campaigns using a tool (the internets) that is over their heads. What we did here was save the image to our computer and upload it to our server. See how easy that is, staffers?
[Eat the Press]
You may remember that we've had this problem with MySpace before. We were much more brutal. (NSFW)
The cost of birth control pills for college students has doubled and at some colleges will triple. Why?
The change is the result of a chain reaction started by a 2005 deficit-reduction bill that focused on Medicaid, the main federal health insurance program for the poor. College health officials say they had little idea the bill would affect them.Previously, drug companies offered oral contraceptives at deep discounts to outlets such as university heath centers, but the new Medicaid rules disincentivize* those discounts now.
Man, being in college totally sucks these days.
*This is my new favorite fake word.
Does it embarrass you when friends from other parts of the country call you asking what kind of idiots you elect to your state legislature? It's sad because it takes a lot of explaining to someone in NYC that this guy is a fluke, but still...somebody voted for him and that is humiliating.
Unlike Alberto Gonzeles and his cadre of lawyers, we have been burned enough on business emails to know that they are what's called 'discoverable.' Our attorneys tell us that when we're discussing business strategies, the competition and anything sensitive we should keep in mind that our emails could become part of the record. We've learned that pontificating on email is bad news.
Here are few of things you should never do in an email:
1.) Never hit reply-all. This is non-negotiable and never acceptable. Best case scenario? You start a chain reaction of reply-alls that fill your inbox with every idiot on the list putting in their two cents.
2.) Use complete sentences, punctuation and spell-check. Ur shorthand mkes u look like an idiut.
3.) When pissed off by an email. Delete it. Do not reply. It never works out for you.
4.) If at all possible, pick up the phone and respond...or better yet lean your head over the cube and shout out an answer.
5.) Never send an email to a co-worker discussing how big of an ass your boss is. Your boss 'owns' your emails from work and has access to read them any time they want to.
Add your own lessons learned in the comments. Maybe Alberto will read them!
We have not had one single email tip about someone getting drunk and feeling up a staffer all Session!!
"Any president who says, I don't care, or I will not respond to what the people of this country are saying about Iraq or anything else, or I don't care what the Congress does, I am going to proceed — if a president really believes that, then there are — what I was pointing out, there are ways to deal with that," said Hagel, who is considering a 2008 presidential run.I'm not supporting impeachment but yes, there is indeed frustration that the president refuses to listen to anyone that dares to state the obvious clusterfuck that is Iraq.
It's just getting tiresome and quite frankly, it's time somebody somewhere do something. This whole Iraq thing is a disaster. People are being killed every day and the U.S. looks like a bunch of doofuses with absolutely no strategy. Either pull out or give them everything we've got and just get it over with.
Marie Antoinette Mrs. Craddick gave the press a tour of the refurbished Speaker's Apartment inside the pink dome. It's really fancy, y'all. A bit too fancy for anybody that's lived in Midland if you ask me. It's nice to see what a million dollars of donations from the public can do for a private place they'll never get to see except in the photo tour she allowed of the press.
If you're looking for a place to drop some cash, we have a few suggestions. Add your own in the comments section.
Alzheimer's Association of Texas
Meals on Wheels
SafePlace: Battered Women's Shelter
That took me about three seconds to come up with just those few ideas of where I'd rather spend my disposable income than giving it to the state to put in a private apartment I'll never get invited to see and one in which (no matter the person holding the office of Speaker) usually is the home of an asshole.
Daniel's comment:
Bloggers should use better grammar. Someone might read your work. Therefore, try using the correct relative pronoun to describe a person. For example, write "People WHO have worked..." or "For those of WHO have changed jobs..."
Pinkdome's Reply:
You're an asshole. Those of you whom become mired down in grammar lessons tend not to excel in reading comprehension. Exhibiting your lack of social skills by pointing out grammar errors will never win friends and influence people. Go suck it.
Update: Daniel's in San Antonio. San Antonio has consistently provided the most humorless commenters on this site and during our rare visit to the area it has also provided us with the most unattractive people. Plus, it smells like a fart there.
Well, not God..but Goodyear. Goodyear is planning to close it's Tyler plant and with it over 1,400 jobs will come to an end. The impact on the town is undeniable. People that have worked at the tire plant for 20 years will surely have a hard time finding jobs in a town that is not exactly an economic boom-town.
For those of us that have changed jobs every 3 years, been laid-off several times, and moved from city to city with a new job this type of impact is hard to believe. Politically, there is only so much you can do to protect 20th century jobs in a 21st century economy.
All great businessmen have to start somewhere. For Sen. Patrick, he took an alternative approach to the traditional lemonade stand:
And more recently, another satisfied customer with a photo of his purchase:
And I'd like to note that the whole baby-selling thing is completely unnecessary if men buy Sen. Patrick's easy-to-use home vasectomy kit.
All this TYC shit keeps coming back to him or his staff:
An aide to the governor received detailed investigative reports alleging a sex scandal at a West Texas youth lockup days before the November election, documents show, but Gov. Rick Perry has said he learned only last month, from news reports, about the abuse at the Texas Youth Commission facility.Granted, the fact that a staffer was forwarded an email with information about the TYC sexual abuse is a far cry from Perry having any direct knowledge about it, but it certainly puts a kink in the Gov's story of "we found out when you did."Interviews and documents confirm that one of Perry's aides, Alfonso Royal, was forwarded graphic investigative reports about sexual abuse at the West Texas State School from Texas Ranger Sgt. Brian Burzynski on Oct. 30 or 31, 2006. The documents also indicate that Royal knew in October, just days before Perry was re-elected, about a West Texas district attorney's lack of action in the case.
Watch the clip at Think Progress and there it is...at the end when she insists that Senator Inhofe stop being a douchebag to Al Gore. Oh it was delicious. (link)
Elizabeth Edwards cancer has returned. I fucking hate cancer, y'all.
But, maybe we could be in our own little way. A fellow fan of politics has asked me to pass along that they have a room available in a new construction house. If you know anyone that's needing a place and isn't a pyscho (that means you, Talton) shoot me an email for more deets.
The House was considering a bill to protect statues from removal. It grants this protection to confederate statues. Senfronia offered an amendment to protect all those statues "unless that person engaged in an armed insurrection against the United States". She's great.
You know what's the worst part about reading the story on the budget coming out of committee?
Seeing that the reporter could only get Warren Chisum quotes. Sweet Fancy Moses lady, weren't there any other trolls or mouth breathers around for you to talk to? Blech.
Guess when Alberto Gonzales will resign and win a year's supply of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
Representative Robert Talton (R-Pasedena) has frequently amazed me at his asshole-ishness. When he gleefully noted a word missing in the CHIP bill he got it booted back to committee. Furthering his hatred of children and poor people he told the Houston Chronicle "Let them eat government cheese."
How come rabid pro-life people are only pro-life from conception to birth and then don't give a flying fuck if the children are poor, uninsured, living in squalor or being abused? It's fascinating, really.
My favorite words ever in politics. Senator Uresti and a teenage lover? (via)
Seriously, if even this guy can get laid some of y'all ought to just give up altogether.
Man. Maybe I'm stupid, but reading the article about Senator Duncan (R-Lubbock) wanting to ignore an accounting rule is something I couldn't quite get my head around. Point out the flaws in my thinking and discuss in the comments.
The GAO passed an 'accounting rule' requiring states to estimate future health care costs and ensure retirement funds were funded appropriately. (Did I get that much right?) Doing so would obviously create a gap and may result in the legislature cutting programs to shrink the gap.
So, instead of ignoring an accounting rule why don't we address the real issue? The real issue is the skyrocketing costs in health care and everyone's unwillingness to look at alternatives.
The Children's Hospital of Austin is facing a public relations problem today as the mother of a terminally ill child continues her fruitless quest to continue treatment on the child. We've talked about this before. The mother has asked for a restraining order against the hospital's plan to remove the ventilator, resulting in the death of the terminally ill child.
The Statesman says the legislature is going to debate the so-called 10-day rule today. What is there to debate? The legislature wants to require treatment until a patient's family can find another hospital? Another hospital will not take this patient, nor would any hospital take any terminal patient that another hospital is discharging.
What medical experts are testifying on this issue? What morons are pushing this issue? Update me and give me the deets in the comments. It looks like I'll have to go down to the pink dome today after all.
We've noticed quite a few series and stories and contests about worst boss stories. We thought we'd jump in. Anyone brave enough to share bad boss stories? We've all had them. Ever had a raging drug addict call you at 3 a.m. and threaten your life? Ever been told you have to work all weekend without getting any comp time during the week? Ever had a boss throw a stapler at you?
Just me?
When your legislative priorities are taking a nosedive, you were re-elected with only 39% of the vote and the most boring legislative session ever is almost halfway over without any big win you could either stay and fight or take a flight...to the Middle East.
Perry's trip is well timed indeed.
Offensive:
Donald Trump. In every way, but having this douchebag sound off on politics even if we have the same opinion is offensive.
Not Offensive:
Any reference to a "sticky situation" as a "tar baby" is not offensive. That's right, you heard it here.
[CNN]
"As the country's most trafficked Web site, MySpace will play a powerful role in the upcoming election," Chris DeWolfe, MySpace's chief executive said in a statement.
MySpace now has presidential hopefuls with profiles! Like, that's so totally cool because now we can totally ask Barak and Hillary to, like, be our friends and then we can send them a comment that says, "Thanks for the Add!" They'll totally win the election because I'm going to put them in my top 8!
First off, having a 70-something presidential candidate as your 'friend' on MySpace seems to be about as cool as admitting your favorite band is ABBA. Secondly, The CEO of MySpace has a twisted sense of self-importance and impact of MySpace. Just because you have site traffic and generate ad revenue does not make you influential in political elections. Somebody should put that on a t-shirt. [DMN]
Seriously, who else would hit it?
After the Senate shot down Sen. Patrick's attempt to destroy the 2/3ds rule at the beginning of session, will Dewhurst say "f*ck the senators" and bypass the rule to allow a vote on the voter ID bill?
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/03/16/16vote.html
Sen. Ellis and the 10 other Ds have enough votes to prevent the bill from being heard on the Senate floor. But Dewhurst is now receiving public pressure from loony Leo Berman and the chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas to suspend the rule and bring the bill to the floor.
So what'll it be, Dewhurst? Does being governor in 2010 mean more than the faith and support of the Senators - who overwhelmingly support the rule? Who thinks we already know the answer to that question?
(this poster prefers to remain anonymous and asked me to put it up - BB)
This photo was taken last Friday on bill deadline day. The photographer says:
Apparently Rep. Bohac is either A) too whored out already or B) unwilling to file bills that will help his district.
Note: The small bit above the "WE MEAN IT!!!" says, "Unless you are from Leg Council". If you were wondering.
Or so he said in his interview with Texas Monthly Talks. He says that he loves McCain (brotherly love, I'm sure), and that he would tell Mitt Romney "you need to find somebody who has a passion to be your vice president. I don't."
Instead, he plans to run again for Governor. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo . . .
The SXSW Festival is underway here in Austin. The swarm comes in threes. First the city fills with techno-geeks for the 'Interactive' portion, then the skeevy film people breeze into town and fill up the Hotel San Jose and bombard Craigslist with 'casual encounters' posts, and finally the too hip to breathe music industry gets here.
The festival is a showcase for films to pick up a distributor and musical acts to win the lottery of a record deal, if you're a fan you can also get to see some great live shows from bands across the country.
The Statesman today has an unintentionally hilarious story that details the frustration of fans unable to get into shows packed with industry people. Reading it makes every one that is griping about not getting into a show sound like the most spoiled and useless people on the planet. The festival has done a good job of accomodating fans where they can and still managing to become the premier must attend event for industry folks to sign new talent.
But, that's not good enough for whiny fans! Just like petulant children they are throwing tantrums every time they are unable to get into a show.
HHSC announced earlier today that they're canceling their $899 million contract with Accenture. The company was hired in an effort to privatize the eligibility and enrollment services for public benefits but ended doing a piss poor job, resulting in tens of millions of wasted tax payer dollars and tens of thousands of children without health insurance.
Christopher Knight's campaign commercial for Rockingham County School Board is bewildering. Christopher was an Eagle Scout (I researched him) cementing my firm opinion that Eagle Scouts are f'ing freaks.
OPEN/Ed. Letter TO GOVERNER pRick Perry,
Reply to: pers-292587103@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-03-12, 9:44AM CDT
Brother Stair, For some reason, probably Evil Demons confusing you, you seem to get the silly notion, that, I am the Author and/or Endorse, Believe in, Sponser or Uphold these ITEMS I send unto you, nay, nay, nay. THESE ARE NOT MY BELIEFS!
(The rest of the crazy after the jump)
Headline:Report by independent company says TXU manipulated wholesale power market
Only other sentence you need to read in the article: TXU's wholesale arm made a profit of about $19.6 million through bidding behavior that was not competitive.
Oh hell no. I'll stab a bitch in the eye. (Sorry, it's the second time today I've shown that I was raised on a dirt road) How many TXU customers should be expecting a refund after being defrauded into paying higher utility bills during the hot ass summer?
Sometimes creating your own shorthand can screw it up. What is this headline supposed to mean?
Assignment: Read the article and create a position statement.
Saying that continuing treatment would be hopeless and possibly painful, doctors at Children's Hospital of Austin notified a young mother Monday that they will withdraw a respirator from her critically ill baby in 10 days unless another hospital can be found to take him.
Per the Statesman, it is scientifically proven that it's easier to save lives when you have a massive hard-on from large breasted Dutch twins.
So next time that EMS worker is performing CPR on someone you know, insist on latex gloves. Fresh and right out of the box.
Laredo High School students were passing the endless boring hours of living in Laredo with a scavenger hunt. Some of the items on the list included things you'd have to steal. This gave Lareda police a great opportunity to recruit more youths for the nearby juvenile detention center. Thirty-two adults were arrested and 8 youths were sent to a juvenile facility to shouts of "good luck!" and "don't drop the soap" by Laredo police officers.
Surely panic set in amongst parents and a race ensues to see who can get their children out of there fastest. (DMN)
Dear Whomever the Hell I am Supposed To Blame for DST Early Time Change:
WTF? I don't mind losing an hour on Saturday night and I use all day Sunday to get over any bitterness and confusion as I wonder what devices have automatically updated the time and which ones haven't.
My issue is that when I woke up this morning for work it's friggin' dark outside. That is unacceptable. What am I, a farmer? The workday should move from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m.
When a father arrived home to find a 27 year-old man with his 13 year-old daughter he shot the man with a shotgun. Problem solved. Of course there is also the matter of raising a 13 year-old MySpace whore, too. (Chron)
Saw this on MadTV last night and almost died laughing. Watch it while you can (until FOX takes it down). . .
Will I ever tire of finding these photos with Bush doing funky hand gestures?
[AP on Yahoo!]
No, no, I will not.
Site status report: PD is incapacitated at the moment, SW! and I are busy with our day jobs, and Rawhide, well, he's somewhere out there. Anyway, we are trying to keep the site updated as best we can, but please bear with us . . .
No, today isn't really heralded that much in the states anymore. Instead, we celebrate women's history all month. Perhaps the socialist history of the international day is the reason we don't do much for it . . .
Help a woman out today:
This post actually has nothing to do with Bush or him having lost his mind (!!!!). Instead, via Austin Chronicle's The Chronic, it's supposedly the Myspace page for one of the TYC guards accusing of raping teenage boys in the state's custody.
Unfortunately, he recently set the profile to private, so we're not privy to the pictures of XXXRAYVIJON with porn stars, as ran in the Statesman recently. And what's with "XXXRAYVIJON?" Is he 41 or 14? Someone please kickfuck this dude like now.
From a reader:
the press submitted an open records request to the senate, maybe the house too, im not sure. they're looking for all documents, emails, letters, etc about TYC going back a few years. looks like if someone has something to hide they better hire arthur andersen and get to shreddingZoinks.
Remember the first time you ever heard of a white person dragging a black man behind a truck? Remember the disgust and bewilderment and then the shame that this happened in Texas? Well, time to conjure that up for a second time. It's happened again. (source)
More than 30 small towns in Vermont want to impeach Bush [Reuters]. Yeah, but if we impeach Bush, we get stuck with Cheney, y'all. And that is just wrong.
The Texas Youth Commission sex scandal is shifting focus. We'll undoubtedly stop hearing about teenage boys getting raped as the much more interesting story to self-involved politicos comes to the surface...who to blame? Finding and placing blame and then wondering if you can trust new leadership to clean up the mess is so much more interesting politically than finding out what went wrong in a system that allowed 47 confirmed cases of sexual abuse against boys.
Since the blame game has started we know that injecting real change and stop gaps to prevent this from happening again is now just a matter of a few meetings and press releases. If you're a pedophine with an interest in criminal justice, there's an exciting career still waiting for you at the Texas Youth Commission!
