All the talk about what it is and I was never really sure until I read this forum post where a dude did it on himself to see what it was like. He says it was like dying and it's an interesting and scary read.

Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson has passed away, according to state Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Williamson County.

How long before Krusee announces he's interested in the job?

My favorite one that I agree with the most.

9. You

Charges: You believe in freedom of speech, until someone says something that offends you. You suddenly give a damn about border integrity, because the automated voice system at your pharmacy asked you to press 9 for Spanish. You cling to every scrap of bullshit you can find to support your ludicrous belief system, and reject all empirical evidence to the contrary. You know the difference between patriotism and nationalism -- it's nationalism when foreigners do it. You hate anyone who seems smarter than you. You care more about zygotes than actual people. You love to blame people for their misfortunes, even if it means screwing yourself over. You still think Republicans favor limited government. Your knowledge of politics and government are dwarfed by your concern for Britney Spears' children. You think buying Chinese goods stimulates our economy. You think you're going to get universal health care. You tolerate the phrase "enhanced interrogation techniques." You think the government is actually trying to improve education. You think watching CNN makes you smarter. You think two parties is enough. You can't spell. You think $9 trillion in debt is manageable. You believe in an afterlife for the sole reason that you don't want to die. You think lowering taxes raises revenue. You think the economy's doing well. You're an idiot.

Exhibit A: You couldn't get enough Anna Nicole Smith coverage.

Sentence: A gradual decline into abject poverty as you continue to vote against your own self-interest. Death by an easily treated disorder that your health insurance doesn't cover. You deserve it, chump.

I am so ready for the holidays to be over, January to be over and just back to normal! I'm sick of presidential debates, bored by days in the office that's like a ghost town and frazzled with a move into a new house.

Thank God for Veuve Clicquot and Xanax!

Yeah, he really said that. You have got to be kidding me with these Republican candidates!

Just to get me in the mood to go to the office I enjoyed the supreme cheese of early Sheena Easton. My baby takes the morning train....

Towleroad has a list of the best quotes of the year compiled by Fred R. Shapiro, an associate librarian and lecturer at the Yale Law School. See the full list by clicking on the permalink.

The list reminded me how much I loved this, such as.

I walked into the UT Club yesterday (Thursday is fried chicken day!) and there was Governor Perry. He was wandering around the lobby reading all about UT's great history and being jealous he didn't get as good of an education...

It made me laugh because he was just standing there reading these history plaque things they have in the lobby and just a talkin' up a storm...to himself. All of his staff were way over by the door. As I got in the elevator I said, "Nobody's listening to you."

A bunch of state offices lost email access for a few hours yesterday. If that happens to me, I just go home for the day. Not that people who work at the Capitol need an excuse to cut out of work early...

What happened to In The Pink Texas. I emailed Pink Lady and if she replies, I'll let you know. In the meantime, enjoy your holiday because I know she is.

Larry Flynt is preparing to drop-kick a Republican Senator into retirement with proof of gayness. Vanity Fair has the exclusive.

It's nearly Christmas, y'all! I looked through YouTube to find a few of my favorite Christmas songs to share with you. I'm trying to force the Christmas Spirit upon myself. Here's a quick list of a few of my favorites. (These videos aren't really to watch...some of them are crap. But I did listen to them.)

Elvis...because every Christmas since he left us has been a blue Christmas.
Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away. Asshole.
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas. Come on...it's Burl Ives!!
My mom's favorite, Christmas in Dixie. She starts playing this on Thanksgiving.
Speaking of Mom, whenever I make my flight arrangements home for Christmas, I call and sing this song to her. She always cries.
As a kid, I admit a fondness for Alvin & The Chipmunks. (Recently ruined by some new movie)
This one almost always makes me tear up a little. I guess as I get older, nostalgia creeps in and Christmas isn't like it used to be. Still, I hope you Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.
And speaking of songs that get to me, this one by the recently departed Dan Fogelberg is the saddest song ever when you're flying home on Christmas Eve. Just sayin'

Got any favorites?

Than Mitt Romney or John McCain. Both commented on Time Magazine's Person of the Year being that Russian dude with no shirt, Putin. Romney said it was disgusting. Both he and McCain said that it should be General Petraeus because he "has brought success in Iraq."

Yes, things are going swimmingly in Iraq!

And besides that comment, it's just a magazine guys...don't get so worked up about it. *eye roll* Plus, I'm not sure we ought to be running around calling other Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings, or Czars "disgusting" people. It's not exactly the way to elevate political discourse, is it?

I know, for one, I'm less concerned with some policies than I am concerned that we don't elect a mouth-breathing retard with no experience and tact and true leadership qualities to lead this country.

Real estate agent Joel Burns defeated Fort Worth school trustee Juan Rangel Jr. in a runoff election Tuesday to represent District 9 on the Fort Worth City Council.

Burns will replace Wendy Davis, who resigned to run for the Texas Senate in 2008.

Burns won with 54 percent of the vote. About 14 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the runoff, down from 18 percent in the Nov. 6 election.

(Via)

A new twist on old news

top aide Kyle Sampson resigns for not advising otherdoes not belong to our world, in objects that are an

Are you out of luck?

Only real men have all the luck!
Grow to be a lucky man with a massive phallus in year 2008!

Obtain your dose of VPXL today for the lowest price ever!

officials indicated that progress had been made, withalong with tidal forces from Saturn's gravitationalTime Act 1974.

Here's how Wired explained this prosaic phenomenon

I found this on BoingBoing and loved it! You can now easily call Congress without the hassle of trying to find phone numbers!

Just go to the website, select a committee, enter in your phone number and click "Put me in touch with democracy!" and you'll be called by our system and sequentially patched through to the front office of each member on that committee.

I've paraphrased The Talented Mr. Ripley quote before and I will do it again. "I don't care for bullshit. Don't care to speak it, don't care to hear it." It's sort of my motto. I guess that's why I don't watch the pundits or listen to talk radio. It's why I roll my eyes when I read a press release from a politician's office or some state or federal official. Now, I'm not a conspiracy theorist...I guess after working in politics I just know the spin all to well.

I wish there was a disclaimer. Something like, "This is the bullshit I'm trying to sell to the mouth-breathers. If we can just agree on that and let me get it out, then you and I can have a real conversation later." That would be fine. Quite honestly, I've got my own bullshit I might want to sell, too, if we're playing that game.

This isn't directed at anything in particular, just thought I would remind you. Consider it an early holiday gift.

OH! Speaking of holiday gifts!! I have tickets to the Zachary Scott Christmas Productions. Who wants free tickets? I think they are to Plaid Tidings or SantaLand Diaries. If you can go, I've got a couple of tickets for you. First one that emails me and can pick them up at my office gets 'em.

The number of states refusing federal money for "abstinence-only" sex education programs jumped sharply in the past year as evidence mounted that the approach is ineffective.

At least 14 states have either notified the federal government that they will no longer be requesting the funds or are not expected to apply, forgoing more than $15 million of the $50 million available, officials said.

So, let me get this straight...school officials are not convinced that that abstinence only education doesn't work? Gee...what gave it away? Centuries of people having sex and exploring sexuality as soon as the hormones rage at puberty maybe?

that isn't a clown. I don't know where this came from, but I thank my friend freakgirl for pointing me to it. View image

OMG, did y'all see this? The supermassive black hole at the center of a distant galaxy is blasting a smaller neighbor with a violent energy jet. The jet has probably fried the atmospheres of any planets in the way, researchers added. But the never-before-seen display may also one day lead to a new burst of star and planet formation.

That is amazing. I wonder how many kids in Texas will learn about it, though.

I guess we could just all declare that it was a sign of God's wrath on the nearby galaxy containing Planet Homo and Planet Evolution and then just move on with our Christmas shopping. Are we ok with that?

Ok. Widespread ignorance and panic it is!

Best commentary I read today! Well, it's only 7:50 a.m., but still. I hadn't given much thought to Huckabee's rise and how it is impacting the GOP establishment. I loved the analysis and as a former GOP staffer saw this coming county by county in the 1992 election season.

Republicans have been running on a faux populist/religiously conservative platform ever since Richard Nixon. It was refined and heightened by Lee Atwater and again by Karl Rove. And now that they have a rising candidate who truly represents that platform, the movers and shakers of the party are doing all they can to kneecap him.

This DMN headline was like:

Once campaign killers, traits like infidelity less of an issue among voters today

And then the lead was all:

Traits that a decade or a generation ago would have automatically disqualified a candidate for higher office can be found in many of this year's top presidential candidates: Divorce, infidelity, "wrong" race, "wrong" gender, "wrong" religion, "wrong" age – and none are now considered insurmountable.

And then I said:

The prominence of infidelity in that headline is so off, since infidelity isn't much of a deal-breaker concern in a campaign. And whose transgressions are we notably not concerned about now? I recognize all the other stuff on that list, but infidelity? Now divorce, that's a tough one to overcome. I think only Reagan ever got away with that, and he had what they call other attributes.

My G'ma says that back in the olden days, everyone expected the president to get a little on the side. "But not Truman," she says. "He just didn't look like the type." She was not able to elaborate. "But the rest of them, oy!"

First of all, could I have any more holiday events to attend? UGH! At least my new velvet jacket is getting out of the closet. Holiday events pretty much sums up my weekend. Luckily, I can report, I did not lose my pants nor did I throw up in any bushes anywhere! Ta. Da.

Sunday afternoon I caught up on some reading. Remember when you used to read...actual magazines and books? Oh the glory of having time!

Anyway, this weekend I read the latest issue of Vanity Fair. The article about Pitcairn Island was one of the most fascinating things I have read all year. You should go buy this issue immediately.
This is why:

While the story of the mutineers who scuttled the H.M.S. Bounty off a remote South Pacific isle in 1790 has inspired five blockbusters, the saga of their Pitcairn Island descendants is far less romantic. As a 10-year rape investigation ends, William Prochnau and Laura Parker explore why the shocking sexual practices on this tiny British outpost went ignored for centuries.

The 31 page decision by the AG's office has been released. (Here's the PDF)

The AG says that it is up to the Legislature to make the rules and he's pretty much going to stay out of it. The opinion also states that "state officer" has not been defined by the Legislature, nor the courts. That means that impeachment cannot even be addressed until the definition is clear.

While the Speaker's office claims victory, the point is moot at this time because one of the first orders of business in the next Session is to adopt new rules and to elect a Speaker.

Craddick is already facing opponents in the election and if those opponents can win favor by vowing to be held accountable to the Members, they may get some folks off the fence. Also, several Craddick supporters are not running and others continue to desert him. Those that defected from his camp are sure to face opposition backed by the Craddick campaign war chest.

Basically, we won't be able to predict this until after the primaries and then the general elections...and mostly likely right up until they call for the damn vote.

Ouch.

I'll be in meetings out of town for most of the day. Will the AG's office have something to say about Craddick's power trip today? If so, and you know my private email...let me know. Otherwise, discuss amongst yourselves in the comments.

The Statesman finally got someone at the TEA to talk about the Comer issue.

What’s the lesson in this case?

Never manage (through) e-mail. Seriously, you should talk to people and really find out what they’re doing. I still think her supervisors needed to be alerted that this was going on. I still think the e-mail by Comer left the agency exposed. The whole situation has been a little disturbing to me. Maybe I should have seen the political side of it.

I will give Reynolds credit, though. She almost made me feel bad for her. This story is out of their hands now. Even if Comer was the wrong person for the job, the way this was handled was bad form.

Really the only thing that's going to make me have any faith in the TEA on this issue is to release a statement that says, "Evolution is science-based education. It is the role of the TEA to provide fact-based scientific theory in science education. Religious-based theories of science are not appropriate for science education, but entirely appropriate for religious studies classes."

Go ahead. I dare you. Let me just remind you that I'm a Christian. I believe in God. I also have enough Faith in my God that I can reconcile the fact that the Bible is not a literal translation of the facts, but a guide on how to live my life and achieve peace and serenity. I learned that in Church...not in the public school system.

It's Bill Hicks' birthday this weekend.

And if it's any consolation, crime is horrible here too.

shooting the in mall
shooting in the church
shooting at the bus stop
shooting at the door

In honor of the day, we thought you'd enjoy this video. Behold: We Arm The World

ps - Here's what the ACLU says about gun control.

Texas Tech and Texas Southern have both been put on accreditation probation. Tech says it was because they did not have their information ready in time for the review...but the website says they have been working on that since 2004. Uhm...shouldn't that be a priority?

Basically, what this says to employers is "Do not hire Tech graduates. Their college can't get its act together." (via)

Advice to students? Save your money and go to community college.

Remember a few weeks ago when that guy named Joe Horn in Pasadena killed two guys who were burgling his neighbor's house while a 911 operator told him not to? It's turning out to be a pretty big deal.

Quannell X, Houston Black Panther, thought it was bullshit and staged a sort of protest against the nothing that was happening to punish Joe Horn for the shooting of people.

This video of the event and the white supremacist mob scene that ensued complete with revving hog, only further proves that Pasadena is the worst of Florida and Louisiana transplanted to Southeast Texas.

Mr. Horn is white and the burglars, he told the 911 operator, were black. Yet the neighbors whose house Mr. Horn was protecting are Vietnamese. They later said they thought the two men had been stalking them...And both, the police say, were illegal immigrants from Colombia...

I actually know a few guys who've lived in Pasadena. They all went there to be with women they'd met online who had that crazy-eyes thing going on.

Have you ever heard a more quintessentially republican idea that this?

...federal Medicaid dollars would be redirected to help Texans pay for insurance that isn't Medicaid. It could be employer-sponsored insurance or private coverage.

At first I thought, hmm, this reminds me of a school vouchers program but for health care. But someone told me that I have first thought wrong disease, so I went to my second thought: This is like a school vouchers program if private schools were notorious for denying education to everyone the first five times they showed up. And if the voucher didn't cover the cost of tuition anyway. And if all private schools were run by like four huge corporations. Then I started to get mad, and my third thought was: Let's take all the federal Medicaid money the state is entitled to, do a little mathity-math, and cut everyone a check! You can spend it on health insurance like a chump, but I'm getting an iPhone. Constant access to WebMd will insure my health.

Not to go all Ivins on you guys, but can someone get out the pans! Is this the best we can come up with to take care of the health of Texans less fortunate in the money-department? Divert money away from Medicaid and give it to satanic insurance companies? Am I missing something about this that isn't a horrible idea, logistically and ideologically? Medicaid has its issues, but it's a relatively solid program. Doctors get paid, hospitals get paid, it's accountable, regulated, and sorta-kinda transparent. We should put effort into helping eligible people enroll and use it! I'm just saying.

"Hospitals are getting the same money," Hawkins said. "They're just getting it from a different source."

Oh, nevermind. It's the same money. I feel better.
And if health care policy wonkery doesn't crank your outrage chain, try this:

When in Rome.

Eugene Allan Poe, a descendent of Edgar Allan Poe was born March 10, 1937 in North Carolina and passed on November 28, 2007. He earned an Associate Degree from Lee College, Baytown TX, Bachelor of Science in History and Education, University of Houston; Master Degrees in Government and Education, University of Houston, and Post-graduate courses leading to Texas Certification in Learning Disorders, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX. Mr. Poe, a former Dept. Chair of Government, ACC, was a full-time and part-time Professor, Vietnamese Student Advisor and Government Department Mentor. He also taught classes at UT Austin. Poe was a world traveler, he was always full of stories about his adventures in India especially up and down the West coast from Bombay to Goa, his home away from home was San Miguel, Mexico where he spent many hours on the beaches along the Texas/Mexico border.

But yes, as a fool for all things young Dustin Hoffman, I am trying to seduce you.

File under: cute republicans

When out campaigning for Rudy G. (I'm tired of trying to spell his last name, so we are done with that here), Perry said he'd prefer Mike Huckabee. Oops! Did I say that? I didn't mean to, I swear.

Right.

Perry is on the campaign trail for Rudy G. and I wonder if he tells people that in the great State of Texas he was re-elected with the overwhelming support of 39% of the voters. The thing about Texans is that they are very good at selling the bullshit that the rest of America buys. Perry's angling to be a VP or something in an administration. I just can't figure out what.

I also think that the vast majority of people are stupid, so I have to consider a possibility that whatever his Aggie Ambition is will happen.

Let's check out the morning headlines, shall we?

I love morning headlines. They help me determine what's gonna be stuck in my craw all morning. I bet when I'm an old man I'll be firing of strongly worded letters every day and calling up my elected officials and blabbing on to some poor intern about nonsensical arguments and conspiracy theories. Can. Not. Wait.

The Texas Education Agency has been getting it from me a little bit lately. I'm no policy wonk, I don't care about diving into deep discussion on dropout rates, curriculum planning, appointees qualifications or a long list of things.

But, I do care about a few things...I don't expect political agendas to creep into education policy. I expect the public school system to work, to educate our children and prepare them for college or for the work force. I expect teacher's to get a fair wage for the hard work they do in teaching some of these little ungrateful no-neck monsters.

Even through those things that I do care about, I rarely release a diatribe like this one from the Laredo Chameleon.

So, in the spirit of one of my guilty pleasure favorite songs...There are worse things I could do.
I could write about school vouchers and how I think they will ultimately destroy public education. I could go to meetings and chat up the officials and make them think I agree with them and then write a scathing rebuke of their policies. I could pretend that leaders should not be held accountable for making poor decisions.

But to cry in front of you...that's the worse thing I could do. (Now enjoy the great Stockard Channing)

Presidential candidate and white trash former governor, Mike Huckabee, advocated isolating AIDS patients from the rest of the population. He also thought that celebrities should pay for AIDS research.

That's very un-Republican of him if you break it down. But, it's very typical of ignorant back-woods Baptists.

Because those people are misusing corporate funds out the whazoo over there. The board's president, in a recent deposition, came off like an alzheimer's patient. He doesn't go to work, doesn't have an assistant, no calender, no computer and still pulled in $391,000 in 2006.

The co-op has faced pressure from state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, and state Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs. Pressure to do what? Not be retarded?

And let me just say, if Patrick Rose is the one coming after you then you have really screwed up. That man is about as intimidating as Aunt Bea. Fraser on the other hand....I'm a little scared by that mustache.

I'm looking forward to many more stories on the Pedernales stroy, and then I hope for a made-for-tv-movie starring Mr. James Brolin as the out-of-touch electric co-op executive and boy-scout Tobey McGuire as State Rep. Patrick Rose. "Golly Gee you guys, you aren't disclosing financial documents to the public and that's just wrong!"

In a coloring book. Check out this page from a coloring book for little Altar boys. Notice the boy is in the Priest's office taking off his sweater. They pretty much nailed it!

You can see the whole .pdf here.

There is certainly no better way to combat pedophiles in the Church than by telling children to not be alone with their Priest! Seriously, that is kind of F'd up.

Good morning. Look at me...not hungover! Let's see what's in the news this morning.

First, I got about ten press releases from the Romney campaign. Apparently, he gave a speech yesterday on religion. He's comparing it the greatness of a Kennedy speech. His campaign really, really, wants you to know about it. (KXAN)

Not so fast, Ellen. The strip clubs are rising up against the tittie tax. (Chron) I know this money is earmarked for a good cause and all, but in general, I oppose sin taxes. But $5 bucks isn't a lot to spend for what you get in return. I love the breasticles. Plus, I've paid more for less if you know what I mean.

Retiring State Rep. Mike Krusee launches his redemption campaign. (Austin Chron) Some people are dubious.

God uses 19 year old gunman to make statement on the commercialization of Christmas. (CNN)

Wow, that's a lot to digest this morning. I think I'll take the day off and try to reconcile all this news with my own personal world view...and maybe go get a manicure. My fingernails look are getting a little Howard Hughe'esque.

The APD is getting a lot of press and, for the most part, I've just been giving them the benefit of the doubt as each issue came up. You know, because I'm white and I live in Tarrytown...I see the police as the folks that protect me.

The APD use of excessive force is a little much, don't you think? And last night I read about the tool that was clocked going 139 miles an hour pass a funeral procession in response to a non-emergency call. So, shooting unarmed black and Hispanics, picking up hookers, and being generally above the law are making me wonder if the people that are so down on the department don't have a point.

I'm sure Grits For Breakfast has probably done an 18-part series on this and I've just missed it.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt parody the Larry Craig scenario.

Rep. Lamar Smith held a virtual town hall via telephone and some poor soul listened to the whole thing so we wouldn't have to.

The highlight of the call HAD to be the lady who was railing about immigration and said that we needed more border walls, because (I swear I am not making this up) the Chinese wall worked so well up until the point that Ronald Reagan said, "Mr. Kruschev, tear down this wall!" (Via)

Are we all feeling superior now? It's nice, isn't it?

What's on your Christmas list? I just sort of realized that Christmas is really coming up fast. Since I am the king of last minute, I just got my ticket home for the holidays. Man, the airlines ass-rape you at the holidays. Do you have any idea how much champagne I could buy for the amount I'm paying to go home this year? It's depressing.

My calendar is filling up with parties and events, so I am trying to get in the spirit. I keep waiting to break out the cashmere v-necks and get some delicious hot chocolate at Seattle's Best, but the 80 degree weather here is annoying.

I am also at a loss as to what I want on my list this year. Maybe the iPod touch? A bigger flat screen TV? New Gucci loafers? My mom is calling me every other day to ask and so far, I'm just...eh. Can y'all give me some ideas? What are you most hoping you'll get under the tree?

Students are flunking when it comes to science education. (Great time to fire your science curriculum leader!)

Despite a renewed interest in issues such as global warming, American schools are flunking when it comes to teaching kids basic lessons about the environment, according to a new study released by the National Environmental Education Foundation.

"Young people are graduating from high school totally environmentally illiterate," said Brian A. Day, executive director of the North American Association for Environmental Education. (KXAN)

I'm not even joking. TMZ reports on the Nevada Brothel that has thrown their legs around Ron Paul for President. They hope to "lubricate Ron Paul's path to the White House."

The campaign says that Congressman Paul "didn't solicit" Hof and his hoes -- certainly not their business, nor their political support. He tells us that, to his knowledge, Hof and Rep. Paul haven't met, nor does Paul sanction any form of prostitution.

Man, that's a tough one. On the one hand, hookers supporting your campaign is not going to play well with your base. On the other hand, it's hookers!

The story still has legs, as they say. It really is a good story if you think about it. State education agency fires top science curriculum for insinuating that 'creationism' isn't science. Throw in a governor trying to ingratiate himself with the far right constituency and a new commissioner that was a former staffer from the governor's office and there you go.

They New York Times printed an editorial. So did the Houston Chronicle plus a story on the matter. Not to be outdone, the Statesman throws in two cents.

And now, the author of the book that started the whole thing in the first place has released a statement.

Someone over at the TEA has stepped in a pile of shit. Let's watch to see how they clean off their shoes. (Please, please, please, let them hire some wingnut radical anti-science, pro-creationism educator from West Texas with questionable credentials. Please, please, please. It would be sooooo gooooooood.)

Let's take a look at what's making news this morning.

Apparently, Mike Krusee, is trying to hit the road to redemption with his calling to pursue new urbanism. (Austin Chronicle)

Mitt Romney sent out about fifteen press releases for his speech about religion. Did you know he gave a speech about religion? (KXAN)

Senate proves televangelists are tax cheats. (KXAN)

Strip clubs sue to block the tittie tax. (Chron)

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney was in Texas speaking about "Faith In America" and the full press release with excerpts from his speech is in the "permalink," but I've got a few excerpts to pop up at the top here:

"There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths."

I absolutely agree. However, I'd like to take that a step further and say that our president should not only refuse to explain his church's doctrines, but he should also not impose them on the rest of America!

"we share a common creed of moral convictions." With some exceptions, but in general, I agree.

Then he just blabbers on about God and abortion.

This clip from The View made my right eyeball roll back in its socket. One of the hosts argued with Whoopi Goldberg that no one in history came before the Christians.

How? Wha? Why? Uh..Bu..See, uh...no, see..but no...

Oh fuck it.