edited by: Ted McLaughlin,
Texas Editor
This is cool. City Hall sends word they have launched a new web tool that has the ability to precisely zero in on zoning all round Dallas.
I haven't played with it yet but will be taking a test drive this afternoon.
The Office of Capital Writs, created by the Texas Legislature in 2009, is on about looking for a director. Here's the posting:
Job Posting: Director, Texas Office of Capital Writs Brand new Texas Office of Capital Writs seeks a Director. The state-funded office, with a $1 million approximate annual budget, will [...]That's the title of a San Antonio Express-News editorial. It appeared in the Sunday edition. LINK
When the going was about to get tough for Gov. Rick Perry at the Texas Forensic Science Commission last fall, Perry sacked three commission members, including its chairman. The commission — created by the Legislature in 2005 [...]
Juanita was perusing the Washington Post this morning when she came across a story that made her go take a shower. “Pat Robertson is forty miles of rough road,” she explained.
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, testifying in his war crimes trial in The Hague on Thursday, said that his government [...]
Today's Dallas Morning News carries the editorial, "White shines in Democratic debate."
Last night's gubernatorial primary debate between former Houston Mayor Bill White and businessman Farouk Shami went a long way to convincing Democratic voters which candidate deserves to lead their party's charge. White's responses to a broad array of questions [...]
State troopers turned in hundreds of error-riddled accident reports in 2007 [...]
It's taken me a few days to get this up on the blog but last week Sally Rodriguez of the Park and Recreation department presented her pictorial history of White Rock Lake to the park board.
I've included a quick sample here, and there's much more in the full' [...]
from the Texas Comptroller site
Quarterly Sales Tax Report
County of SOMERVELL -- All Industries
SomervellYearQuarterGross SalesAmount Subject to State TaxOutlets2002129,756,8686,578,4212062002234,650,4007,968,4002172002335,638,9767,686,0492202002437,630,9726,905,017357Total137,677,21629,137,8872003133,125,6416,036,8302152003236,956,7997,348,4012322003333,917,0067,458,9252362003436,520,8587,365,334358Total140,520,30428,209,4902004132,591,9686,359,5942192004238,661,4587,859,8612242004339,922,0277,953,7062162004438,037,8849,686,303349Total149,213,33731,859,4642005137,444,1307,260,1622202005240,029,93911,642,8912282005340,881,36812,815,8102262005442,431,75110,375,696362Total160,787,18842,094,5592006139,083,29311,136,0912372006243,209,02311,650,0482422006344,298,12511,501,0392392006452,684,66313,612,856351Total179,275,10447,900,0342007147,599,70012,606,8192312007251,502,72415,826,7562462007353,956,51220,165,1252492007481,482,75218,300,266355Total234,541,68866,898,9662008159,605,54913,089,0742322008264,103,59120,005,0802422008360,752,56214,904,7472432008486,443,03912,652,982352Total270,904,74160,651,8832009147,075,43910,783,1462512009243,338,13710,034,885249Total90,413,57620,818,031 [...]For those looking for what was said on the death penalty, here are the excerpts.
If you want a better read of the politics, please follow the links to read the entire articles. An excellent primer is Sean Sullivan's post, "White Hits Perry In Dem Debate," today at the [...]
From the Texas Comptroller site (note that 2009 only includes 2 quarters so is not the full year)
Quarterly Sales Tax Report
City of GLEN ROSE -- All Industries
Glen RoseYearQuarterGross SalesAmount Subject to State TaxOutlets2002116,677,1985,074,8151362002217,680,2145,871,3121412002317,679,2835,499,3941432002418,756,8785,159,672221Total70,793,57321,605,1932003115,799,4314,459,6151422003219,047,3155,340,4321552003315,040,3845,491,1271572003416,375,4295,278,959221Total66,262,55920,570,1332004115,641,0024,732,6101412004218,901,5885,527,4091442004319,270,5275,657,4871392004418,014,3465,316,759211Total71,827,46321,234,2652005119,034,7565,215,8241432005220,781,0306,328,0961512005320,998,3436,346,3971452005416,589,1456,330,723207Total77,403,27424,221,0402006117,200,0225,887,9621492006218,055,5376,725,4311492006318,506,9307,177,6451532006416,681,1826,897,761201Total70,443,67126,688,7992007114,856,5196,589,2781472007215,934,7227,584,6561512007315,465,1377,066,7671502007416,380,6636,682,988194Total62,637,04127,923,6892008114,276,8676,288,1161452008216,236,4407,475,3091472008316,134,0607,299,3981522008416,263,2066,978,269199Total62,910,57328,041,0922009114,564,7036,226,7871572009215,726,6077,266,230156Total30,291,31013,493,017 [...]Republican Bipartisanship = we want everything our way or we won’t talk.
The Washington Monthly
Republicans are effectively arguing that the only way to talk about the health care reform proposal is to ensure that there is no health care reform proposal. The plan that was crafted over months of [...]
from the Texas Comptroller Site
January 2009
Line NumberTaxpayer No.Hotel NameAddress CityStateZipCapacityReceipts Taxable Receipts112027881684AMERICA'S BEST VALUE INN & SUITES1614 NE BIG BEND TRLGLEN ROSETX7604346$25,775.23$24,635.38232026819170BEST WESTERN DINOSAURVALLEY INN & SUITES1311 NE BIG BEND TRLGLEN ROSETX7604353$51,396.90$51,396.90332036569682COMFORT INN & SUITES1615 NE BIG BEND TRLGLEN ROSETX7604370$32,480.51$31,319.51412051456031COUNTRY WOODS INN420 GRAND AVEGLEN ROSETX7604313$6,592.04$6,592.04532024287503GLEN ROSE HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS113 PALUXY' [...]As most of you know, Juanita has been following the semi-tragic and nearly horrible victimization of Hannah Giles, the chick who played a hooker in the ACORN sting. Hannah is the granddaughter of Fort Bend County’s own head busybody, State Republican Executive Committee Member and self-righteous harpy, Terese Raia.
“This has [...]
When you sign Sarah Palin up for a remedial reading class, please choose another class. Mine are full and are supposed to be limited to recent immigrants.
Palin Advocates War With Iran After Apparently Misunderstanding Buchanan Column (VIDEO)Citing a column by Pat Buchanan that clearly argues against conflict with Iran, [...]
Courtesy Kathy Brown (THANK YOU! )
The check registers are posted on the Somervell County Water District site under the subcategory of Board Meetings/ Meeting Minutes .
Here is November 2009 general fund
So Co Water District General Fund
Check Register
For the Period From Nov 1, 2009 to Nov [...]
Republicans say Mr. Obama's list was already fairly short. They rejected out of hand his renewed push for health care and his call to curb a Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance, leaving drilling for oil and gas here at home, pushing nuclear [...]
Take a good look. This is the face of a bully. He is the guy that might have pushed you to the ground in the schoolyard and called you "fag". He is the guy who might have robbed you of your lunch money or slammed you [...] 
* The administration claims Abdulmutallab is now cooperating. That's either dishonest or idiotic -- or both.
If he is cooperating, jeez, you don't tell the terrorists. Why on earth leak it that the guy's blabbing, thus warning the enemy? Could the administration' [...]
Lamar Smith and Mike McCaul are getting primaried. [...] In just about every speech at their 2008 convention, Democrats promised voters that a change in the White House would, in Barack Obama’s formulation, restore “our moral standing” in the world. Replace the unilateralist cowboy at the top with a humbler multilateralist, and the path would [...]
The Texas Progressive Alliance congratulates the city of New Orleans for the Saints’ stirring Super Bowl victory, and reminds them that the “hair of the dog” trick doesn’t really help with the hangover.
The Texas Cloverleaf sentencing of GOP Denton County Constable Ken Jannereth. Probation, anger management, laying off the [...]
Denny's giving up free breakfast today till 2 p.m. Go get you a Grand Slam. [...] from Ed Lowe
Howdy Friends of the Brazos,
It’s time for our 7th Annual Brazos River Clean-up, we will again cover 3 river segments-Highway 67 to Tres Rios; Tres Rios to Sandlin Camp and Sandlin Camp to Brazos Point. Please come out and help. If you don’t want to [...]
Thanks to Sid Miller (TX House District 59) for sending this link
Here's an FAQ about the new *approach* which is now longer called NAIS. I notice that there is going to be some kind of push on states, rather than at the national level to implement animal traceability. [...]
On Capitol Hill, there's a war being fought over the War on Terror, and so far, Republicans are winning. Or at least they're winning the Battle of Miranda.
GOP lawmakers believe they are having some success in the effort to stiffen the spine of the Obama' [...]
Obama's job-approval rating has [...]
It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane,
Let's do the Time Warp again!
James Drew fact-checks a Farouk Shami statement from Monday night's Democratic gubernatorial debate:
THE CLAIM: Farouk Shami said that over the past few years, the state has executed a few people who that were innocent. He then added, "We have killed lots of innocent people in" [...]
Terrence Stutz checks up on a Bill White statement from Monday night's Democratic debate:
THE CLAIM: Bill White said Texas electricity rates were lower than the national average before deregulation and residential rates now are "higher than they are in the rest of the" [...]
Christy Hoppe fact-checks a new Rick Perry television ad:
In a new television ad called "Tough Decisions," Rick Perry touts his moves to cut taxes and spending. It pictures him on a Main Street setting, then touring a construction site and concludes that because of [...]
Monday morning District 1 Councilwoman Linda DeLeon announced that she will not seek reelection (A-J story, KCBD story).
Linda is a fantastic organizer and leader, and I’m sad to see her leave the council. But, she’s right: 24 years of public service is a long time, and the next [...]
Poster at the recent Rick Perry for Governor Rally featuring Sarah Palin:
Image from HoustonPress.com.
Filed under: Education, Homeschooling, Humor, Politics Tagged: Education, Homeschooling, Humor, Politics, Rick Perry, Sarah Paline [...] 
Growing up, I used to play over and over the scene from Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING in which Radio Rayhem bumps into Mookie on the street. When Mookie spots the gold LOVE and HATE knuckle plates Radio Rayhem wears, Rayhem takes the opportunity to expound to Mookie on [...]
Ordinarily, I defend a person's right to run for office, no matter what. The nutjobs are usually nutty enough that they run for high-profile offices—Mayor, Governor, Senator, President—where you would expect candidates to have at least a little bit of name recognition. It makes the nutters easier to spot. The [...]
Claim: While touting his fiscal record as mayor, Bill White said, “I left the city of Houston with cash balances over twice what I inherited.”
True or false? False. We asked White’s campaign for proof of his claim. They sent us a page from the Fiscal Year 2010 budget that showed [...]
Claim: In explaining why he doesn’t support requiring citizens to show photo identification before voting, Farouk Shami said, “When we go to vote, they ask us for driver’s license and verify that you are a voter and a citizen in the state of Texas, so I support what we have [...]
Claim: Bill White said, “In 1999, utility rates in Texas were lower than the average in the rest of the nation. Now our residential utility rates are higher than they are in the rest of the nation including neighboring states like Oklahoma or Louisiana.”
True or false? Mostly True. Texas did [...]
Claim: Farouk Shami said Houston is the nation’s third most toxic city.
True or false? True. A November report by Forbes magazine rated Houston the third most toxic major city in the country based on data provided by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Atlanta was rated the worst followed by Detroit.
-Aman Batheja
[...]Claim: Bill White said Texas is ranked 49th among states in terms of percentage of adults who have a high school diploma.
True or false? True. According to the 2010 Texas Fact Book put out by the state’s Legislative Budget Board, 79.1 percent of the Texas population were high school graduates [...]
Claim: Farouk Shami said Houston lost 43,000 jobs while Bill White was mayor.
True or false? False.
Shami was citing the change in the number of unemployed people in Harris County while White was Mayor of Houston, according to the Texas Workforce Commission web site.
Between January 2004 and December 2009, the [...]
The LEC hosted a Superbowl party yesterday. The Times is reporting that 400 people showed up, but judging from last year's event, I think they're overestimating it. Check out the video from last year.
…why negotiating with the Republicans isn’t working, here’s a clue: they are nucking futs. [...] Last month, the Texas Debates sponsored a debate among the three major Republican candidates for governor. Tonight, organizers held a debate between the two major Democratic candidates, businessman Farouk Shami and former Houston mayor Bill White.
There was one question and a follow-up about their positions on the death penalty [...]
[...]
Adam Lowther is the latest of a number of analysts to make just that claim. 
My favorite 
