Another deadly accident at El Camino and Kingstone

Last week an elderly couple was killed in a one car accident at El Camino and Kingstone. This is the second deadly accident in the last couple of years. A few years ago a young teenager lost her life at the same intersection.

Mrs. Berg was driving a 2009 silver Toyota Camry south on El Camino Real and crossing the intersection of Kingstone when, for unknown reasons, her vehicle left the road and struck a utility pole. Both she and Mr. Berg were taken to the hospital in critical condition with severe blunt force trauma. They were pronounced dead later Tuesday evening.

This intersection is dangerous. From Clear Lake City Blvd to Pineloch there are no lights or stop signs. Because there is a light dip in the road just prior to the intersection, speeding cars bottom out right after the intersection. At 40 MPH, 5 miles over the limit, the dip does not cause a car to bottom out, so you can imagine how fast drivers are going to do this type of damage.



Last month the concrete and drainage cover cracked where the cars bottom out. Both were fixed or replaced and there are already deep scratches and chunks of the new concrete missing.


Three lives have been lost in three years.

NASA Rd 1 to close at I45

NASA Rd 1, which is now officially called NASA Parkway will be closed at I45 on March 4 for about 2 months. From the Galveston County Daily News:

During the demolition, the Gulf Freeway from just north of League City to Bay Area Boulevard will be closed. I-45 is expected to reopen at 5 a.m. March 9.

This is to complete the construction of the NASA Rd 1, uh... NASA Parkway bypass which has already greatly helped the traffic from NASA towards I45 during rush hour. But for the next three months, it will be a disaster for traffic.

NASA Rd 1 was renamed, for unknown reasons, in the 78th Legislation session, filed by State Representative John Davis and State Senator Mike Jackson. The original bill renamed NASA Rd 1 from 146 all the way to Hwy 35 in Alvin, but was modified to exclude the Ralph I Lowe Parkway portion in Friendswood. As simple as this sounds, it required money to change the road signs and all the businesses had to change their addresses.

NASA Rd 1 is still used today as it was used when NASA was created. The only thing that is different is that it will be closed for 2 months at I45.

Texas conservatives rank high on porn

Who would have thunk it? The GOP really is the Gross Old Perverts party! From ABC News:

Those states that do consume the most porn tend to be more conservative and religious than states with lower levels of consumption, the study finds.

"Some of the people who are most outraged turn out to be consumers of the very things they claimed to be outraged by," Edelman says.

And you wonder why we are so screwed in Texas?

Clean coal as seen on TV

Home builders look for a liberal hand out.

What a surprise! The Texas Association of Builders is at odds with Governor Perry and are looking for a liberal hand out from the Government. This is the same organization that will yell and scream about the free market, less government oversight, and yet they are the first in line for a handout from the Government. From the Dallas Morning News:

As it turns out, Perry’s opposition to bailouts isn’t shared by the Texas Association of Builders, which organized the rally. Scott Newman, the group’s executive director, said afterwards he hopes Texas takes every dollar it can get.

You got to wonder just how liberal the home building industry has become. (and who ever would have thought Scott Newman was a liberal?) Asking for every dollar they can get from the Federal Government is about as liberal as giving money away to welfare mothers with 14 kids. And creating and supporting a $10million tax funded Commission to oversee the home building industry is more liberal than supporting the expansion of Planned Parenthood in East Texas.

It is clear the home builders are conservative when it comes to screwing home buyers, but a bunch of sunflower dressed, dope smoking, liberals when it comes to creating a $10million bureaucracy run by the builders to oversee themselves.

Makes you wonder what they are smoking.

Don't bet on extended gambling in Texas

The Houston Chronicle via the Associated Press thinks Texas has a chance at gambling in Texas including a casino in Houston and Galveston.

The proposal calls for up to 12 "destination resort" casinos, meaning they would be major real estate developments that would include retail and other entertainment, Carona said. The measure also would allow slot machines at existing horse and dog race tracks and casino gambling on Texas Indian reservations.

This bill was filed by Republican Senator Carona. His area in Dallas would receive 2 permits for casinos. The bill is supported by Senator Ellis of Houston and has support from the public. And as the Dallas Morning News has stated:

In the last year alone, gambling interests have contributed a combined $1.7 million to Texas lawmakers, $1.3 million of it from the horseracing industry alone. And they're hoping for a stacked deck – with a new House speaker from a racetrack family, a legislative committee that seems open to gambling initiatives, and an economic slump that could send lawmakers looking for new revenue.

But don't bet on it. Rick Perry cannot risk alienating his Christian Conservative base by supporting a gambling bill. If this bill passes look for Perry to veto it. It's a snake eyes bet.

Leo Berman on Fox TV Houston

Bill to abolish home builder's Commission filed.

State Representative Todd Smith (R) has filed a bill to abolish the Texas Residential Construction Commission in 2010. This was the recommendation by the staff of the Sunset Commission and the State Comptroller's office in 2006. Unfortunately the Sunset Commission instead has made a number of ill conceived recommendations to "fix" the Commission. The recommendations include:

Amend the Act to delete all public records of a State Inspection request if the builder fixes the defect.

This suggestion came from the home building industry, of course. Wiping their slate clean if they fix a defect after many months of complaining through the TRCC and hundreds of dollars spent by the homeowner. This is an absolutely ridicolous idea.

Abolishing the commission is the only way to increase the protection for consumers, but don't look for this to happen in 2009. If it could possibly be passed in the House and Senate, Governor Perry will veto it.

The House should censure Representative Leo Berman

The website CensureLeo.com is calling on the Texas House to immediately censure Representative Leo Berman for his racist remarks to an Asian American attorney during a heated discussion about immigration.

On Thursday, February 18, 2009, State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) committed an act which we believe constitutes conduct unbecoming a member of the Texas Legislature—for which he should be censured by members of the Texas House of Representatives.

After a panel discussion sponsored by Texas Employers for Immigration Reform, Rep. Berman was engaged in a heated verbal conflict with Harry Joe, a Chinese American immigration lawyer from Dallas.

Berman, who was invited to participate in a panel discussion to speak about a bill he authored requiring illegal immigrants to relocate to “sanctuary cities,” was approached by Mr. Joe after the session.

Following their exchange, Berman told Harry Joe to “go home” (as in “back to China”) and “kiss my ass.”

This is the same hate filled Berman that:

Berman delivered a hate-filled speech on the floor of the House which prompted immediate criticism from his colleagues and made audacious claims including that illegal immigrants are responsible for Polio in the United States. (Houston Chronicle, May 8, 2007; CapitolAnnex.com) READ THE SPEECH HERE (.pdf)

Not only is Berman mean spirited and racist, he is ignorant of the Constitution of the United States:

Berman authored legislation to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the United States. (Assocaited Press, March 28, 2007).

The House should put this hate filled racist in his place once and for all.

Stolen bike ring busted in Clear Lake

Talk about drama in Clear Lake.


The local kids had been talking for a long while about their bikes being stolen when yesterday evening one found out where his bike was being kept. So the gang of 14 year olds went to the house to confront the kid and they happened to stumble upon a bike "chop shop", or so they said.

Whatever they found was enough for 3 constables and 1 HPD officer to arrive at the scene and harass the kids, causing hours of discussion afterward. In all, 6 bikes were found along with a garage of parts. In a scene from dumbest criminals the guy who was bringing the bikes to the house came by to see what was going on and was fingered.

As the scene was clearing he was in the back seat, handcuffed in a constables car. No charges were filed against the owner of the house, but 3 bikes were recovered by their owners.

This is a night that will be talked about for weeks.

Bill would end electricity deregulation in Texas

Texas State Senator Kevin Eltife is being showered with praise for filing SB547 "Relating to transition to competition in the Southwestern Electric Power Company service area." or killing electricity deregulation in East Texas.

OK, East Texas, let's offer thanks again that we have leaders like state Sen. Kevin Eltife looking out for our interests in Austin.

Eltife, the Tyler Republican whose own hometown has been socked by rising electric bills ever since Texas leaders steered the state toward deregulation, introduced legislation on Monday spelling out the criteria that would have to be met before our corner of East Texas is dragged into the same mess.

Now, God bless the Senator for standing up for the little guy by filing a bill that sets out 6 specific steps that must be successfully completed before East Texas is eligible for deregulation, but couldn't he have done this prior to voting for electricity deregulation in 2003? These steps include:

• Setting up a pilot program for consumers to choose an electric provider.
• Verifying the pilot program was successful and provided competition and low rates.
• Passing legislation after all of the 6 steps have been successfully completed to allow deregulation.

In other words, if this bill would pass, East Texas will never deregulate. And that is good. But why are we stuck with the deregulation plan, created by Ken Lay and Enron, while he is pushing for a bill to stop it in his area?

East Texas is scheduled to be deregulated in 2011 and will become just as miserable as we are. The gop passed this deregulation bill in 2003 and the gop should take responsibility for it. If Eltife would like to file a bill to re-regulate electricity, I'm all for it, but I'm just saying, if it's good for the goose, it should be good for the gander.

Quack.

No place for racists in the Texas Capitol.

What the hell is wrong with our State Legislature not taking action against State Representative Leo Berman (Racist-Tyler) for telling an Asian American Attorney to "Go Home!" and "Kiss my ass!". The kiss my ass statement is more like the language of the republican party, especially for elected officials, but the "Go Home" comment was clearly racially motivated.

State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) yesterday told a Chinese-American lawyer from Dallas to “go home” (presumably back to China) and instructed the attorney to kiss his ass following a panel discussion relating to a bill Berman introduced this session to relocate illegal immigrants to “sanctuary cities.”

His Nazi like language shouldn't be tolerated by the members of the Texas Legislature. What else will come out of Berman's racist mouth about other non-whites? What will he be yelling during debates on immigration? Will he be calling Canadians Hosers? Or illegal immigrants from Ireland potato eaters? And what will the Legislature do about it? Condone it? Tolerate it?

Berman should be censored by the Texas House Legislature or else Berman will ask for concetration camps for all non-white people who don't look or talk like him. Or maybe what he needs is a swift kick in the ass.

Pete Olson: Send money!

Congressman Pete Olson got some ink in the Houston Chronicle calling for continuing the previous Administration's task to create a new vehicle to replace the Shuttle, go to the Moon, and go to Mars. All he left out was "Send Money". Please.

No one interested in the space program, exploration, or keeping their tax funded job, will debate whether doing these and other things are the right thing to do, but few will actually say how much will this all cost. And whether we can afford it. And if not, what can we afford, and when can we afford it?

Olson, being a freshman Congressman, has his head up in the stars with pie in the sky ideas instead of evaluating the current financial situation NASA and our country is stuck in. The mission to replace the shuttle and go to the Moon and Mars was never funded adequately, as he acknowledges, but NASA knew this when they signed up to the task. They knew there was going to be a 4-8 year gap between the Shuttle and the new vehicle. They knew it was going to cost hundreds of billions to get to the Moon and much more to go to Mars. And now they are griping about it?

The recommendation submitted by former NASA JSC Administrator, George Abbey, is doable and affordable. It does not stop our mission to Mars or the Moon, it only delays it after NASA does one thing right: build the new Vehicle to replace the Shuttle then retire the Shuttle.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out.

Perry won't gamble on gambling

The Dallas Morning News had a great article on the possibility of expanded gambling in Texas especially slot machines at Texas horse racing tracks. Even with a Speaker of the House funded by gambling interests, a strong family connection to the racing industry, and a souring economy, don't bet on gambling in Texas.

In the last year alone, gambling interests have contributed a combined $1.7 million to Texas lawmakers, $1.3 million of it from the horseracing industry alone. And they're hoping for a stacked deck – with a new House speaker from a racetrack family, a legislative committee that seems open to gambling initiatives, and an economic slump that could send lawmakers looking for new revenue.

Governor Perry won't have it. He cannot support gambling while being challenged by Kay Bailey in the primary because he would lose his base of Mexican, gay, gambling hating, old christian white people. Even if the House and Senate could pass extended gambling, Perry would veto it and stand with his people in order to defeat Kay.

You can bet on it. In fact double down on it.

Presidents day roundup

It is Monday, and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Round-Up.

Off the Kuff takes a look at the early possibilities for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2010.

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a serious look at Speaker Straus' Committee Assignments.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to know howpolice officers can mistake a 12-year-old black girl standing in her own yard for 3 white prostitutes?

WCNews at Eye On Williamson has noticed there's been plenty of misinformation about the the New Deal during the stimulus debate. This week was no different, Another misleading GOP talking point on the New Deal.

McBlogger takes a look at the current economic situation in light of renewed attacks on the stimulus plan. His conclusion is that you really shouldn't listen to those on the right since they don't, you know, understand what's going on or have an accurate read on historical analogues.

Are you terrorized by Barnett Shale gas well compressor noise? If so, you aren't the only one. TXsharon knows about a recent court case that might be helpful. Learn about it on Bluedaze then help us get OGAP here so we can rein in out of control drilling.

Possible KBH replacement, TX Sen. Florence Shapiro, does some political posturing with the new "MySpace bill".The Texas Cloverleaf reports.

Neil at Texas Liberal reviewed structural causes of longterm poverty. Also, Neil determined that the song running through his mind for the past 20 years was Bring Me Edelweiss. It's a song from an Austrian techno-dance group. Check out the video.

John Coby at Bay Area Houston thinks the leadership at the University of Texas is a bunch of Rotten Teasip Bastards and the Student Government leaders are a bunch of Teasip wusses.

DosCentavosopines onSenate Bill 320; a bill to require any Justice of the Peace in a county of 200,000+ to be a licensed attorney. And Stace is not happy at all about it.

jobsanger expresses his disappointment in Panhandle legislator Warren Chisum in "Chisum's Law Is Abject Failure" and celebrates Chisum's fall from his powerful chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee in "Chisum And Swinford Are Out".

Xanthippas at Three Wise Men examines the claim that groups on the left are in the pocket for the Obama administration, and have sacrificed their credibility on issues like the stimulus package.

The two front-runners for the Democratic nomination for Texas Governor in 2010 are Kinky Friedman and Tom Schieffer. Seriously. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the details.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is is angry at the sloppy traffic cops we call the US Strategic Command. They oversee our Space Surveillance Network tracking thousands of pieces of space junk orbiting over our heads every day. So, is this just a movie to them? Shouldn't they sound nsome kind of alarm when a collision is imminent? There is Serious Space Debris - US Command Fails Role As Traffic Cop.

WhosPlayin wonders why roadside puppy sales continue despite a new ordinance banning it in Lewisville.

TDI is fudging insurance numbers

The Dallas Morning News has the last of a four part series on insurance deregulation and the results are pretty much what you would expect, we suck.

More than a million Texas homeowners have bare-bones policies that don't completely cover damage. Coverage that once was routine no longer exists in many policies. Policies that cover fewer risks or pay less have supplanted many that offered full coverage.

And state oversight occurs in a political environment in which industry lobbyists and campaign contributions are prevalent.

This is a long article but well worth the read. What is bothering about this is the comments made by the Texas Department of Insurance Companies. Here is a sample:

• In a recent report to the Legislature, TDI said overall homeowners insurance rates decreased 13.5 percent between 2003 and 2006.

• Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin said homeowners insurance is better than in 2003 in terms of oversight, rates and an increased number of insurance companies writing policies. The reforms, he said, made things better – or, at a minimum, kept matters from becoming worse.

  "We have a mission here at TDI, and that is to regulate the industry diligently and fairly," he said

Yes, you read that right, our rates actually decreased since deregulation! My decrease went from $800 to $2400. A Clear Lake condo's decrease was from $500 per unit to $2000. And the Commission, Mike Geeslin, an Aggie, actually claims the industry is regulated!

I don't know what the TDI is smoking to think there is no pressing problem with the current situation, but they probably got it from the Bush administration during the collapse of the economy. There is a bill in the Texas House to make Geeslin's job as TDI Commissioner an elected position. I think that is probably the best bill to date.

Read the article it is great.

Rotten Teasip Bastards

So while college tuition for our kids have soared since deregulation in 2003, the top executives of major universities are reaping big increases in their salaries.

AUSTIN — Executives at the University of Texas at Austin saw their take-home pay rise sharply along with steep tuition increases, with some salaries increasing by 30 percent or more in four years, according to an Associated Press analysis.

.........

UT isn't the only school that has seen big salary increases for its top administrators. Former Texas A&M President Robert Gates, now the U.S. defense secretary, made $362,000 in 2004. The new A&M president, Elsa Murano, was making $525,000 in 2008, an increase of 45 percent, school records show.

On one hand this really grinds my gears, but on the other hand, the TU Student Council voted down a resolution calling for the abolishment of college tuition deregulation, so the students get what they deserve, higher rates to pay for their presidents Mercedes and trips to the Bahamas. And after being caught by the Associated Press, the "leaders" of TU says:

The flagship Texas school abruptly froze the salaries of its top executives last week amid growing calls for fiscal discipline among state agencies and universities.

Fiscal discipline? Are you serious? How about calling for a bit of common fuckin' sense you bunch of tea sipping idiots? Or how about reducing thier salaries back to 2003 levels and demanding a refund? Or better yet, how about reducing the tuition at the university?

I'm not sure which is the biggest bunch of dumb shits at TU, the members of the student government or the leaders of TU. Maybe they are tied for stupidity.

What a Boner!

Leave it to Republican Minority Leader (I use that term loosely) Boehner (pronounced boner) to have a hissy fit in the United States House of Representatives and throw the stimulus bill on the floor.



What the Boner doesn't realize is that his party LOST in November. LOST! The gop lost because 8 years of trickle down economics turned into meltdown economics. You lost because retirees lost half of their retirement and are now more dependent on social security, the very one your party tried to gut. You lost because you and your party couldn't be trusted to balance an 8th graders check book.

The stimulus bill didn't get your support for a good reason: You Suck. Your party has a clear history of screwing up everything you touched. So quit acting like a frickin baby and start acting like a man.

Well at least we can all be glad the boner didn't cry.

What happens on twitter

What happens on twitter doesn't stay on twitter. Congressman Culberson might want to remember this. Turns out someone is following him and his mental health problems, stemming from the stimulus bill, and posting it on a blog. (Good catch Muse)

@frivmo thanks - good advice - I will do my best to restrain my temper & avoid any trace of troll like behavior

A trace of troll like behavior? Culberson obviously needs a hug. A big, fat, liberal, hug all while he takes that liberal money and fights to give it to his buddies.

1 in 28,000

The Texas Residential Construction Commission has taken some severe action against a builder:

For the first time in its history, the Texas Residential Construction Commission has issued a lifetime ban to a home builder.

The commission Wednesday permanently banned Affiliates LLC, which did business as First Home. The builder has no San Antonio ties, but built in the Central Texas cities of Jarrell, Taylor and Belton.

The lifetime ban also applies to the company's agent, Pete Stucky, who now is prohibited from participating in any home-building-related ventures in Texas.

Out of 28,000 registered homebuilders, the TRCC has finally taken some meaningful action against one of them. Although this sounds like a great deal for consumers, it does nothing for the homeowners who got screwed. The liens on their properties remain unpaid. The defects still exist. The consumers are still screwed. This is one of the major issues with the TRCC. Much like the republican party, they like to look tough after the problem is discovered instead of preventing the problem in the first place.

“This has been a big deal not only for us, but for the community generally,” said Duane Waddill, executive director of the TRCC. “It's important that builders know we're serious, and we're not going to let people get away with defrauding homeowners and not treating people fairly.”

Well, at least this one builder won't be able to screw anyone again, much like the builder who was shot and killed in Georgia. Obviously being canned is much better than being killed.

Councilman Sullivan in the news again

Houston City Councilman Mike Sullivan has been getting some ink lately. Last week he wrote a stern letter to the editor in the Clear Lake Citizen about Councilman Peter Brown's comments, but today the letter comes from a constituent. The letter is about a disabled person who was killed at an intersection where a light had been requested.

It's interesting that our local councilman is pushing to spend $10 million in unnecessary improvements to the Sylvan Rodriguez Park (dog park, soccer fields for people to use that live across town), yet there is no money for a traffic light?

Another interesting note, a traffic light was just installed off Middlebrook for a much less used intersection, also one not used by handicapped people or school students. Was that a political move? Was it installed because more voters' homes are there? Hmmm?

Ouch. Again. The writer does have a point: $10 Million for a park and yet we struggle to get a much needed light? In the Progress section of the newspaper, the editor also has a short article about the swearing in ceremony in January as well as our Councilman taking a drive along in a Houston city garbage truck to make sure the transition from private service to city garbage collection service goes smoothly for the Clear Lake Community Association

Word to CLCA, it isn't that bad. You will quickly get used to it. Besides, you are getting an $84/year tax cut.

No clout for Clear Lake in House assignments

Well Clear Lake didn't fair very well with the Texas House assignments announced today. State Representative John Davis, a 10-year veteran, was a Tom Craddick supporter for Speaker of the House, all the way to the very end and was justly rewarded for his loyalty.

Davis lost his position as the Chair of the Health and Human Services subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee as well as his position on the Health Services Committee. He has been put on the County Affairs Committee with a Democrat, Garnet Coleman, as chair and on the Public Health Committee.

Davis' reputation on the Health and Human Services Committee was severely tarnished with the failure of CHIP privatization which cost Texas taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. This might have been another reason to have been replaced with rookie Legislators such as Ken Leglar of Pasadena. Unfortunately the main reason probably was his loyalty to Craddick. Davis was financed by Craddick in his 2008 campaign and had no other choice but to gamble on Craddick for Speaker.

And he lost, as did Clear Lake. The assignments can't be anything else but a huge demotion. 6 Democrats were appointed to Chairmanship positions, including Representative Rose on the Health Services Committee, which Davis was probably in line for if Craddick had won. But he didn't.

Davis will be 50 with 12 years in the State Legislation after the session is over. My bet he will not run again in 2010 and leave the seat open.

NO IDIOTS!

No Intelligent Design In Our Texas Schools.
State Senator Rodney Ellis and State Representative Patrick Rose wrote an Op-Ed in the Houston Chronicle that nails the issue of bible thumping in our Texas public schools:

Families should be the primary educators on matters of faith, not our public schools. Regardless of board members’ personal beliefs on creationism and evolution, science classrooms are not the place for resolving such disagreements about faith. Those classrooms should focus on science.

Amen brother! The State Bored of Education has at least a couple of A-number one wingnuts that support IDIOTS, Dunbar and Bradley. Dunbar, pictured left at her high school prom, has home schooled her kids (ever wonder what home schoolers do for prom night?) and yet she is on a board that provides oversight for our Texas public schools. Senator Ellis continues:

The National Assessment of Education Progress revealed that only 23 percent of Texas 8th graders achieved proficiency in science, compared with 41 percent of students in the top-performing states — the states with which we compete for jobs.

Yet the board continues to undermine high-quality science instruction, allowing our students to slip further behind.

Hum. Maybe if we let those who support IDIOTS run NASA, they would pray us to the Moon, then claim it didn't exist. Ellis and Rose have filed a bill that will put the SBOE under periodic review of the Sunset Commission so they can be held accountable. Hopefully they will do a better job than what they did with the Texas Residential Construction Commission.

NO IDIOTS. Please.

Aging activists in action in Austin

While so many people are sitting on their lazy back ends complaining about high insurance, electricity, and college tuition rates, 5000 senior citizens joined in Austin to voice their opposition to the republican voter suppression bill.

AUSTIN (KXAN) - About 5,000 senior citizens descended on the state capitol on Tuesday to push for various legislation. One bill they are rallying against is a voter ID bill. The legislation requires that voters show a photo ID or a utility bill at the polls. The senior group The Gray Panthers said requiring a photo ID will make it harder for some seniors to vote.

They also are concerned about electricity rates and other issues affecting the elderly. It is good to see such a large group descending upon our elected officials to fight for a cause especially one that is being billed as protecting the sanctity of voting. Just like they protected the sanctity of marriage.

Maybe some young folks could learn a thing or two from them.

W the Movie on DVD

W the Movie is now on DVD.


Watching it was like watching a low budget film that was required watching for a high school class. It was bad in the beginning. Got worse in the middle, then ended up just being sad. Afterward you wonder how you lasted the 90 minutes or so and was glad it was finally over.

It was a perfect movie about W.

Kinky ain't a Democrat

Dear Kinky,

You are not a Democrat. Never were. Never will be. Never will be the nominee. Ain't going to happen. Don't count on it. Give it a rest.

Before you become the nominee, Sarah Palin will be teaching pregnancy prevention classes. Donald Trump will be broke. George Bush will have a statue in Iraq. Britney Spears will be mother of the year. A-Rod will be the home run king without an asterisk. Republicans will become compassionate. Michael Berry will join the army. Bill Gates will buy an iMac. Republicans will stop hiring illegal immigrants. Insurance rates will go down. The Texas Residential Construction Commission will be abolished. Electricity will be re-regulated. Roy Morales will become Mayor of Houston. Jesse Ventura will be drafted by the Klingon army.

Get the idea?

Electricity rates soar. So what?

The Houston Chronicle has reported that electricity deregulation has resulted in higher rates across Texas. Yawn. So what else is news? The problem I have with this is: so what?

Commissioned by the Cities Aggregation Power Project, a nonprofit coalition of Texas municipalities, the report found that residential electricity rates rose 64 percent between 1999 and 2007. Before that, Texans paid rates that were well below the national average, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Yes, rates have increased by 64% on a good day. And yes State Senator Shelby lobbied for it and now works as a lobbyist for the electricity industry. But so what? This issue isn't on anyones radar. Maybe they are too busy working to pay their insurance bill that has tripled since Republican deregulation or sending their kids to college to noticed that Shelby and the republican leadership has royally screwed them.

Either way they aren't screaming about paying rates that in some cases are double or triple what they were paying prior to deregulation. It is almost funny. If the homeowners association raised their dues by $25/year they would be lighting the torches and storming the community center. But increase their electricity rates by a thousand dollars and all you hear is the sound of a low hum.

Electricity rates have soared? Ho-Hum. So what? You wanted to be a republican. You voted for a republican. And you are getting screwed by a republican. Enjoy and quit complaining.

Home builders will screw anyone

Jonathan Betz of WFAA-TV has learned that home builders are not picky about who they screw, and why should they? After creating the Texas Residential Construction Commission six years ago with the false promise of protection of consumers, the state has little if any protection for consumers or any control over the building industry.

Beverly Devaughn thought she found her perfect home - a $1.3 million mansion, the Frisco doctor built from the ground up.

"I wanted to build a dream home," she said but added it had turned into a "nightmare."

That's because near the end of construction, letters started arriving - liens, totaling $200,000, filed by angry subcontractors.

Oops! The builder, Classical Custom Homes is owned by Michael Marsolek of Plano Texas at 972-208-4098 (it is disconnected) failed to renew his registration in 2007 according to the Texas Residential Construction Commission.

You have to wonder what happened to the realtor who handled the sale or the company who was suppose to look for liens against the home. The doctor who bought the $1.3 million home will learn very quickly what few rights she has in the state of Texas run by the home building industry. And if this happens to a doctor with a $1.3 million home, imagine what can happen to anyone building a $100,000 home.

"The whole agency is being reviewed, and we're looking at every part of the agency to try to make it more consumer friendly. We want even more stringent rules to hold those people at bay," said state representative Ruth Jones McClendon (D) of San Antonio.

God bless Representative McClendon, but I doubt anything meaningful will come out of Austin that will actually help the consumer. To Dr. Devaughn, good luck!

You will need it.

Legislation Watch: TRCC bills.

The Texas Sunset Commission' staff after a long investigation recommended to abolish the Texas Residential Construction Commission. (As did the Texas Comptroller's Office) Instead the Commission has made recommendations to "fix" the home builders Commission. This is like trying to fix a failed foundation by installing a sprinkler system about the base of the home. (I kid you not. This is actually a fix proposed by home builders in the past.)

The recommendations by the Sunset Commission if fully implemented will result in an expensive, bloated, liberal, bureaucratic, commission that will continue to do nothing for the home buyers in Texas. But there are some bills that would at least counter act the TRCC.

HB311 by Leibowitz will prohibit the TRCC from charging consumers for the services provided by the Commission. Currently to use the services it cost the consumer $350.

HB981 by Thompson will create a method for a "buy back" of a house if the home builder is unable or unwilling to fix a major flaw in the home. This bill was filed last session.

Bay Area Houston will be following bills concerning the TRCC during the session.

Legislation Watch: Ethics bills.

State Senator Rodney Ellis has filed SB695 which would require the Texas Ethics Commission to post personal financial statements filed by candidates for and holders of state office and state chairs of political parties. Personal financial statements are available at the TEC and are public record, but are not easily accessible by the public and they should be.

(2)not later than the 10th business day after the date a statement is filed, post the statement on the commission ’s Internet website.

SB695 will solve this. This is the fifth bill to be filed concerning the Texas Ethics Commission. Bay Area Houston will be tracking ethics bills during the session.

Gov. Perry a bigger fraud than you think

Rick Casey of the Houston Chronicle wrote a column titled "Gov. Perry is my kind of fraud" writing about Perry's support of intelligent design as "a valid scientific theory" and yet....

Meanwhile, has anyone noticed that the Guv has done absolutely nothing to further the cause of teaching “intelligent design” other than to elevate one of its many proponents on the debating society known as the State Board of Education to the body’s chairmanship?

This is nothing new for our Governor. He had done the same thing for insurance rates, talking a big game before the election, then doing the exact opposite. This is what he said in 2002 before the elections in a press release:

"To make sure Texas consumers are protected, I am asking the Attorney General to investigate the market conduct and marketing practices of our state's biggest homeowner’s insurance companies," Perry continued. "I’m concerned that the big insurance companies may be misleading Texas families about the changes in homeowner’s coverage and costs. I’m concerned that in this changing market, insurance companies are not providing consumers with the honest facts they need and deserve."

And in the end,

Since deregulation in 2003 rates in Texas have soared, insurers are suddenly dropping homeowners, cherry picking the "safe" areas of the state. Protection from foundation, water, and sewer damage is now optional but reductions in rates were never realized. Texas now has the highest rates in the nation, 25% higher than 2nd place Louisiana.

Yep. If there was an award for being a fraud, Perry would be the winner, hands down.

Caught on tape: I quit!

During a hearing in the State Senate Committee on Finance, Dallas billionaire Robert Rowling, chairman of the UTIMCO board, resigned while under heavy fire about $2.3 million in bonuses paid to fund managers for the University of Texas System and Texas A&M System’s endowment, which has declined 27 percent this year.

Wow! Talk about Wall Street bonuses! We got them right here in Texas! And we wonder why our college costs are out of control? Burkablog has a more detailed write up.

“I spend half my life on UTIMCO. You can have this job. I resign,” Rowling told the committee. “We did what we thought was right.”

This outburst was caught on tape at 2:32:59 (actually most hearings are available on the "internets", they are just very hard to find specific parts) . The resignation was just after a stern lecture by Senator Kevin Eltife starting at 2:30:15. Eltife lectured Rowling after he stated they used Vinson and Elkins for services at $500/hour.

City Councilman Mike Sullivan on Clear Lake

Houston City Councilman Mike Sullivan wasn't very happy with Councilman Peter Brown's visit to Clear Lake last month, prompting Mike to write a letter to the editor in The Citizen. And it wasn't very nice:

Beware of candidates running for higher office. That's my advice.

(Houston) Council Member Peter Brown recently spoke to the Clear Lake City Community Association.

He made inaccurate and inflammatory remarks reported by this paper.

I take strong exception to Brown's comments that "the City of Houston needs a bigger presence in Clear Lake, (and noted that) 2010 redistricting efforts might make a difference."

Peter Brown is running for Mayor of Houston. District E is probably the worst district in the City in terms of redistricting. It covers part of Kingwood, a sliver through Houston, and the NASA/Clear Lake area. (see the map to the right) It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize it is in desperate need of common sense redistricting. It has been talked about for years. Peter Brown is right on this point.

Sullivan continues in his letter with a list of what he has done in Clear Lake over the last year or so. Whether what Peter said to the Clear Lake residents is enough to warrant a public attack with a letter to the editor section might be up for debate, but maybe it is a sign of why there are at least two individuals interested in challenging Sullivan in November.

Digging a hole to reach for the stars.

A report by Houston’s Baker Institute written by George Abbey, a former director of the Johnson Space Center; Neal Lane, former President Bill Clinton’s science adviser; and John Muratore, a former NASA flight director, has urged NASA to focus on building the new vehicle while extending the Shuttle by 5 years.

When the Bush Administration set NASA's new course of dropping the Shuttle program, building a new vehicle, returning to the Moon and going to Mars, all without any new significant funding, we simply didn't have the guts to say we can't afford it. Now we are in a huge financial hole, attempting to reach for the stars, and we simply can't afford it, all at once. (Report can be found here)

In a nutshell the report calls on NASA to:

1. Extend the life of the Shuttle till 2015, 5 years longer than the original plan.
2. Focus on building a new vehicle (The Crew Exploration Vehicle, CEV) to launch in 2014
3. Delay all work on the Moon mission including the lander, rover, habitat, suits. Restore at an appropriate time
   
4. Delay all work on the Mars mission except for robotic missions.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that given the depth of the financial hole we are in, we need to focus on building a new vehicle, returning to the Station, and then begin to set our sights on returning to the Moon and going to Mars. We don't have money to do everything.

It just makes cents.

Palin and Perry sitting in a tree

OK. This is getting strange. Palin was pallin' around with Perry purposely at the Governors Political Convention. Here we have two sort of attractive peppy politicians (I threw up a little in my mouth), with Palin pouting the trailer trash grandma look, and Perry with the perfectly quaffed hair, lookin to score politically. And score he does.

Palin has come out swinging with a one night endorsement of Rick Perry for another 4 years of screwing us Texans.

While a bunch of politicians have gone to Washington, hat in hand, seeking a bailout, Governor Perry has left his hat in my hotel room while he sticks his hand out for whatever giveaways the Federal governement will give. Rick Perry is true to conservative principles even when others think the party suck. I like that about him: he doesn’t care who blows, he acts on who does.

And clearly, she does. If she was looking to score a date with Rick Perry, that endorsement just might do it for her. I can see her being dragged around from hotel to hotel on Perry's campaign across Texas speaking to a group of hard dicks, with her yee-ha, howdy-doody, folksy, hot grandmother with an 18 year old unwed mother look. And the retards of the republican party eating it up like a buck toothed hillbilly getting a $2 lap dance at the C-Sec Nudie Bar.

Perry wouldn't have it any other way.

USAA raises insurance rates by 21%

USAA, an insurance company providing insurance for officers of the armed forces and their families, have raised their rates by 21% in the Clear Lake area. (based upon my policy which I have had for over 18 years)

USAA used to be one of the best in the state with rates that were relatively low. Now either USAA has losts it's competitiveness or everyone else with a different company is getting royally screwed. Last year my rates were $1900/year up by 18% from the previous year. This year it is $2300 and my deductible has been raised to $4000 up from $1800. On top of that, the cost to rebuild my home went from $180,000 to $210,000. And to make matters worse, if I decide to leave USAA, I can't return since they are not writing new policies in the Clear Lake area.

And to think, my rates before the republican deregulation of 2003, was only $800/year with a $500 deductible and I had water, sewer, and foundation coverage. Here are some quotes that makes insurance reform of 2003 a real bad joke.

“When fully implemented, every Texan will be assured that he or she is paying a fair, just, and reasonable rate for homeowners insurance,” --State Representative Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston)

"In recent months, there have been troubling trends in the homeowner's insurance market in Texas," said Governor Perry. "In too many cases, homeowner's insurance is getting more expensive, coverage is becoming harder to get, and instead of more companies stepping up to meet the demand, some companies have stopped writing comprehensive policies altogether." --Governor Rick Perry during the 2002 elections.

Spending Campaign Cash: Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Morning News had a great article this weekend highlighting the spending habits of their local elected officials. Here are some tidbits:

"It's a very expensive obligation – we have to live in Austin, we have to travel throughout our districts," said Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, who has used her contributions to fund car lease payments to Mercedes Benz and conference stays at the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach, the Venetian in Las Vegas, a Puerto Rican resort and the Hay-Adams, a luxury hotel in Washington, D.C.

Other officials across Texas use their donations to buy condos, vehicles, lease BMWs, and now, Mercedes. You would think they would at the very least buy American. State Senator Seliger purchased a Chrysler for $27,000 and State Representative Isett bought a truck for $12,000.

What they missed.
The DMN didn't cover the cost of purchasing condos probably because Senator Brimer, Nelson, and State Representative Vicki Truitt had already sold them and profitted from the sell. The article is very well written. Take a look at what they found. Including the comment from Senator Shapiro mentioned above with the Mercedes:

"Otherwise, the only people who could afford to be elected would be the wealthiest of the wealthy."

Or those who can raise money to rent a Mercedes.

Power Watch: Electricity rates for January 2009

Rates for electricity in the Houston area continue to fall, although not by much. According to the Power to Lose website, Kinetic Energy is at 12.0 cents per kWh for a 12 month plan. StarTex and Amigo is at 12.1. Reliant Energy is at an uncompetitive rate of 14 cents with TXU at 14.9 cents.

The highest rate is Brilliant Energy at a brilliant price of 18.9 cents.

Last month rates were not much cheaper. Kinetic Energy had an advertised rate of 11.89 cents, but that quickly changed. The rates are probably at their lowest for the year, so consider changing to a yearly plan. I've posted some suggestions here.

And by the way, the lowest rate of 12 cents by StarTex is 50% higher than rates pre-deregulation and twice as much as citizens in San Antonio are paying. Enjoy your deregulation.