Monday, June 29, 2009

Pre-Fourth Wrangle

Time for an extra-patriotic rendition of the Texas Progressive Alliance weekly blog post roundup.

Off the Kuff takes a look at the latest Lyceum poll on the Governor and Senate races in Texas.

Neil at Texas Liberal suggests that instead of blowing off your fingers lighting fireworks -- during a drought in Harris County no less -- that maybe you would be better off reading a book instead.

With 2010 spinning up, it's funny to watch all the different players already on the field line up to take their first hits. McBlogger, of course, thinks they're all deeply in need of a little advice which he graciously provides (with surprisingly sparse use of profanity)!

WCNews & Dembones at Eye On Williamson post on the latest controversy involving the Williamson County commissioners court: Budget officer not just a good idea, it's the law.

John at Bay Area Houston says turn out the lights, the family values party is over.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks online Texas Republican commentary on Mark Sanford is interesting.

The similarities between Mark Sanford and Ray Bolger (as the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz") are just too weird, notes PDidde at Brains and Eggs.

The Three Wise Men are willing to pay a tax on their favorite junk food to pay for health care reform.

WhosPlayin.com's video bring you EXTREME Congressional Town Hall -- Special "Losing our freedoms" edition, sponsored by Prozac.

Over at TexasKaos, Libby Shaw calls our attention to Confessions of a Former Health Insurance Exec: "We Dump the Sick". Who knew? All the posturing , hypocritical , offers of self-reform and insurance relief are just so much bogus cover up for an industry too greedy to ever be trusted to regulate themselves!

The Texas Cloverleaf discusses gay pride, bar raids, and millions of gays marching in DFW this past weekend during the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

Burnt Orange Report covers TX-10 Congressional candidate Jack McDonald's campaign expansion in the Austin area.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Farrah Fawcett 1947 - 2009 and Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009

More to write about these two '70's icons -- they were closer to equal in pop culture influence than my teevee is currently demonstrating -- when I have time to write about it.

For now, there is a definite emptiness I feel when I look at their images and consider all that they were at the apex of my youth. There is a scene in Saturday Night Fever where John Travolta is looking in the mirror, feathering his hair with the blowdryer (I used to be able to do that). Reflected in the mirror is that poster of Farrah. You know the one: all hair and teeth and nipples. My younger brother had one up in the bedroom we shared. The Bee Gees and Michael Jackson and the discos were my generation's Twitter. We social-networked on the dance floor.

Jackson and I were just one month apart, age-wise. Farrah, you know by now, grew up in Corpus and went to UT, where men -- well, boys I suppose -- lined up at her dorm to ask her out.

Respect and links to others and pictures to be posted later.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

And starring Mark Sanford as Ray Bolger




I'm afraid there's no denyin'

I can't say I'm not lyin'
I'm just a hypocrite!


(de-dee, de-dee-dee-dee-dee)

I went to Argentina
To see my señorita,
And I stepped into some shit!


How about a second verse?

There's no need to search that mountain,
I'm not naked in some fountain,
I'm sorry for bein' gone.

I just went south of the border,
Cuz I have a brain disorder,
I just had to get it on.

So I left my wife and children,
because I'm ethic-ally barren
And I had some on the side.

You would think that I would suffer
And the media somewhat rougher.
Good thing I'm Republican.


(Shamelessly ripped off from here)

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Hiking the Appalachian Trail in the nude isn't exotic enough?

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is telling a newspaper that he was in Argentina during his unexplained 5-day absence, not hiking along the Appalachian Trail as his office previously said.

The Republican told The State newspaper in South Carolina that he arrived at the Atlanta airport today.

Sanford says he decided at the last minute to go to the South American country. The governor says he had considered hiking on the Appalachian Trail but wanted to do something “exotic.”


Let's just hope, for the sake of saving what may remain of conservative Republican face, that it was a woman he was with and not a man. Still, even the Republicans in South Carolina may not get over it any time soon:


"Lies. Lies. Lies. That's all we get from his staff. That's all we get from his people. That's all we get from him," said state Sen. Jake Knotts, R-West Columbia. "Why all the big cover-up?"


Why indeed.

The (still hot) Weekly Wrangle

Your grass turned brown? Water rationing keeping you from saving it? Is your air conditioning unit in its last throes, if you will? Well sit back and relax; you'll always have the best of the Texas Progressive Alliance to keep you cool.

President Obama, Bill White, and John Sharp are all in the same sinking DOMA boat. The Texas Cloverleaf comes off of hiatus to tell you why.

CouldBeTrue from South Texas Chisme cheers the impeachment of Judge Kent. Four articles passed without a single nay. Let's hope the Senate is through with him by August.

BossKitty at TruthHugger finally signed up for Twitter to get updates on the Iran protests. What a day of drama and emotion it brought: Icons and Martyrs: All Day On Twitter Watching Iran. But he was really meaning to highlight the regressive influences causing upheaval in personal lives, especially in Texas: Immigration Policies and Gay Rights Contradictions.

Unlike Nevada Republican Senator John Ensign, Neil at Texas Liberal makes a promise he'll keep -- He'll never cheat on his wife! Also, Neil sings the Damned's Wait For The Blackout at the Houston Ship Channel.

Off the Kuff takes a look, then a second look, at the bills Governor Perry vetoed.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson knows in order to solve big problems it takes leadership. Who is willing to lead, who has enough LBJ in them?

Castle Hills Democrats heard candidates Tom Schieffer, John Sharp, Bill White, and Neil Durrance speak at the two-county Fish Fry in north Texas. The blogger reviews their messages -- and reports on feedback from the Dems in the audience.

WhosPlayin investigated the claim by a former Lewisville mayoral candidate that the city is hiring illegal aliens for its road projects because one of its contractors doesn't yet use the E-Verify program.

Teddy at Left of College Station writes about escorting at Planned Parenthood and how what happens in Kansas doesn't stay in Kansas. Also a report from the T. Don Hutto Residential Detention Facility and the protest on Saturday (including exclusive photographs).

Big Gas wants you to believe that regulating hydraulic fracturing is a state's rights issue. The truth: Only one state in the US regulates hydraulic fracturing. TXsharon busts the Big Gas bubble again on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

Citizen groups opposed to new coal plants being built in Robertson County and near Victoria were given a chance to intervene last week when two of the 12 newly proposed coal plants in Texas had preliminary hearings for their waste water permits. Check out the video over at Public Citizen's Texas Vox.

Over at TexasKaos, Libby Shaw tells us that Dumb, Self-serving Politicians Make Dumb, Self-serving Decisions. What a surprise that Governor Goodhair takes the starring role in this little drama. Check out the details.

Do you love the Real Housewives on Bravo? Were you a little less than impressed by the NJ version? So was Barfly over at McBlogger.

Sunday Funnies (yes, on Wednesday)

I enjoyed my time away, did you? As always, click on the toon for a bigger, more readable view: