Category Archives: Texana

Teasip astroturfing

Posted on May 17, 2012 | Comments Off on Teasip astroturfing

“So, the Save Bill Powers [Facebook] page was essentially a ghost town, and essentially the entirety of the social media operation to that point was astro-turfed by a P.R. firm.”

All in reaction to Gov. Rick Perry’s attempt to lower tuition at the state’s flagship U of Texas which has climbed 23 percent in four years under president Bill Powers while academic standing [44th according to U.S. News] has declined.

Granted, Perry is an arch-rival Aggie, but, really now, teasippers. It’s elementary. If you’re going to cheat, try not to get caught, okay?

Via Instapundit.

UPDATE:  Perry wants a $10,000 bachelors degree for Texas residents versus the $10,000 per year UT seems to be headed for at the moment.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Scribbles, Texana

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Divider-in-chief

Posted on May 9, 2012 | Comments Off on Divider-in-chief

When more and more people know you’re a phony, how to win re-election? Divide and conquer, of course.

“Why else would the Justice Department challenge the photo-ID law in Texas? To charge Republicans with seeking to disenfranchise Hispanics and blacks, of course. But in 2008 the Supreme Court upheld a similar law from Indiana. And it wasn’t close: 6–3, the majority including that venerated liberal, John Paul Stevens.

“Moreover, photo IDs were recommended by the 2005 Commission on Federal Election Reform, co-chaired by Jimmy Carter. And you surely can’t get into the attorney general’s building without one. Are Stevens, Carter, and Eric Holder anti-Hispanic and anti-black?”

Via National Review Online.

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Posted in Obamalot, Texana

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Liquid drought

Posted on May 7, 2012 | Comments Off on Liquid drought

Our forecast for the week suggests we may beat the anticipated continuation of our drought and get up to four inches of rain by Friday. Got about an inch at the Rancho on Saturday night and more is expected tonight and tomorrow. Moist ground would also lower our daytime temperatures this summer.

Via WeatherBELL

UPDATE:  We got another inch of rain Monday night, with more forecast tonight (Tuesday). As of Thurday night (May 10), with a thunderstorm in progress, we are at more than three inches total. Some places in the Hill Country west of the rancho have logged six inches or more since Saturday night.

By Saturday, May 12, we had finally logged a bit more than four inches, making for a pleasant 80ish afternoon, with similar temps forecast all next week.

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Posted in Texana, Weather/Climate

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Back when you could drink and drive

Posted on May 2, 2012 | Comments Off on Back when you could drink and drive

Absolutely true. It was 1978, when I moved back to Texas, that you could still set an open can of beer (or an open bottle of bourbon, if you were so inclined) between your legs as you drove. And if you got stopped for speeding (which wasn’t very likely) the cop wouldn’t say a thing about the booze.

Ah, those were the days, as JD Allen (The Mouth of the Brazos) remembers.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Scribbles, Texana

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GWB had class. Obama? None

Posted on May 1, 2012 | Comments Off on GWB had class. Obama? None

Back in 2002 when American troops were dying in Afghanistan, GWB was criticized for golfing while the troops fought. Bush’s response? He gave up golf, saying:

“I don’t want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander-in-chief playing golf… I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong message.”

These days Uncle Barry keeps right on golfing. The media is so much in the tank for him that he’s not criticized for that or much of anything else. So does he volunteer to give up golf on his own? Would Queen Michelle give up her expensive vacations?

Even the Dalai Lama prefers GWB.

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Posted in Afghanistan, Obamalot, Scribbles, Texana

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The Texas Unionists

Posted on April 29, 2012 | Comments Off on The Texas Unionists

Edmund J. Davis was one of the about 2,000 Texans who fought in the Union army during the Civil War. He survived to become the last Reconstruction governor.

But there were many more who offered their dissent at home and some were punished for it, including in the still-celebrated Nueces Massacre of German Unionists and the little-remembered Great Hanging in Gainesville of suspected Anglo Unionists, possibly the largest example of vigilante violence in American history.

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Posted in Civil War, Texana

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Beautiful Texas

Posted on April 23, 2012 | Comments Off on Beautiful Texas

A photographic (and musical) tribute to West Texas—from the Rio Grande to the Palo Duro. By the official Texas state photographer Wyman Meinzer. Take a look.

Via old friend (even if he is a Democrat) Tucker Smallwood.

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Posted in Music, Texana, Weather/Climate

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