Went fishing.

What a great way to end 2010. If you ever want a great day of fishing, contact Charlie Ives of To the Limit Guide Service out of Aransas Pass. It is well worth the 3 hour trip. Charlie will keep you busy and out on the water till you are tired or met your limit. This day we caught our limit on Drum, including a 29 inch and 1 redfish.

Afterward we took some of the catch to the Crab-N restaurant. They served it blackened, pecan breaded, cajun fried, and just plain fried along with 2 sides and a boatload of beer.

How to survive Obama's Death Panels for idiots

In a recent poll 35% of adults over 65 years old still believe Sarah Palin's "Death panels" actually exist. As Palin said :

"My parents or my baby with Down syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's death panel so his bureaucrats can decide ... whether they are worthy of healthcare".

For the ignorant fools who still believe Palin and are afraid of losing their Government provided Medicare, I have provided a guide below on how to survive a death panel interview and retain your rights to health care and your life. Please share.

1. Dress appropriately. Sweatpants are out. Dress like you have money so they would be more interested in soaking you for more unnecessary health services.
2. Don't smell. Old people can smell. Don't. Nothing says "No health care for you!" than a buttload of bad odor.
3. Don't be fat. Fat people are generally not healthy. Why would the death panel waste money  on someone one step away from a heart attack?
4. Don't have a disease. Like diabetes, cancer, or Down Syndrome. Again, health care is for healthy people. Or people with a boatload of money.
5. Look healthy. Remember, health care is only for those who are healthy. Why would the death panel give you money when you are sick?
6. Be prepared. Be prepared to be sent to the death chamber if the death panel declares you death worthy. This is what Sarah Palin warned you about and you believe everything she says.

For the rest of the 65% over 65, be glad that we have a system that will provide health care when the private industry won't. And for those under 65 go do some research on the cost of health care for those over 65  and wonder how in the living hell are you going to be able to afford it when Medicare is gone.

Idiots.

Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversol's $63,000 question

I blogged about Eversole's indictment a few days ago, but I want to emphasize why I think Eversole is in trouble. Let me recap one of the  many allegations against him and his long time buddy Mr Surface.

March 6, 2003. Surface wrote a check for $65,000 from his personal account to Weston Lakes LP a partnership Surface and his partners created.

March 24, 2003. Surface caused a check for $65,000  to be written from WLP to Keystone.

March 24, 2003. On the same day, Surface caused Keystone to issue a cashier's check to Surface.

March 24, 2003. Surface used this cashier's check to purchase another cashier's check payable to Eversole for $63,000.

March 25, 2003. Eversole deposited the $63,000 check into one of his personal accounts.

March 25, 2003 Eversole takes out a loan for land to build a new home.

March 27, 2003. Eversole was obligated to pay off his lot loan in full on or before March 27, 2003 for $62, 594.

Now is that strange or what? From Surface to WLP to Keystone, back to Surface to Eversole to the bank. You have to wonder why Surface just didn't write a personal check to Eversole instead of playng hide the baloney.

Holiday Texas Progressive Blog Rounduup

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes Santa Claus was good to you as it delivers the last blog roundup for 2010.

Bay Area Houston notices that Death Panels are starting in Jan.

Off the Kuff took a look at the election contest that was filed in HD48.

Harold at Letters From Texas told a little Christmas story from his childhood, to (unsuccessfully) prove that he's not a scrooge.

It seems the EPA and Big Gas agree on something: Hydraulic fracturing causes gas to penetrate into the water zone! TXsharon caught Big Gas shooting themselves in the foot and exposed it on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

If you want a lighter take on Texas's 4 new Congressional seats announced by the Census this week that includes calls for reform on how we do redistricting in Texas and Lord of the Rings references, head over to TexasVox.

WhosPlayin has mostly been quiet over the holiday, but is following how one gas driller, Titan Operating has legal battles going on in two adjacent cities: Flower Mound, and Lewisville.

Eversole has a plethora of friends

Rick Casey of the Houston Chronicle wrote an interesting column about Eversole's generous friends which led to his indictment:

My friends are nice guys and gals, mainly.But they never take me on expense-paid golfing trips to Arizona and New Mexico. Or to Las Vegas. Or South Carolina. Or San Antonio. Or Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota. Or Reno.

From the indictment Surface also gave Eversole $63,000 for a new home, but it wasn't the friendship or brotherly love of Jerry that drew attention to this  transaction, it was the way it was done. From the indictment:

On or about March 6, 2003, Surface wrote a check from his personal bank account for $65,000 to Weston Lakes LP a partnership Surface and his partners established to hold interests in real estate but which at that time had no business activities. On or about March 24, 2003, Surfaces caused a check to be issued in the amount of $65,000 from WLP to Keystone and deposited into a keystone bank account. that same day, Surface caused Keystone to issue a cashier's check to Surface in the amount of $65,000. Still on that same day, Surface used the $65,000 Keystone cashiers check to purchase another cashiers check payable to Eversole in the amount of $63,000. Surface then provided the cashier's check to Eversole.

But WAIT! Here comes the good part. On the very next day:

On or about March 25, 2003, Eversole deposited the $63,000 cashier's check into one of his personal bank accounts. At the time he did so, Eversole had taken out a loan to purchase land on which to build a new home, and the balance of this loan, over and the value of the collateral held by the lending institution was [get ready for it....] $62,594. On the day he deposited the check from Surface, Eversole was obligated to pay off his lot loan in full on or before March 27, 2003.

So the $63,000 question is: "Instead of hiding the money, why didn't Surface just geeve him the money?" When you donate to church, you geeve them the money. When you buy a new house, you geeve them the money. Yet, when donating to his friend of 30-years he didn't just geeve him the money. It reminds me of a scene from the Three Amigos about having a "plethora":

Eversole has a plethora of friends, and a plethora of problems.

Death panels to start Jan 1!

As I have said, "Never misunderestimate the power of ignorance" or stupidity. From the Houston Chronicle:

WASHINGTON — When a proposal to encourage end-of-life planning touched off a political storm over "death panels," Democrats dropped it from legislation to overhaul the health care system. But the Obama administration will achieve the same goal by regulation, starting Jan. 1.

Under the new policy, outlined in a Medicare regulation, the government will pay doctors who advise patients on options for end-of-life care, which may include advance directives to forgo aggressive life-sustaining treatment.

Sarah Palin, the oracle of refudiation, coined the term "death panels" claiming the government takeover (Voted "The Lie of 2010") was going to decide who would receive treatment to continue to live. 

First used in a 2009 speech by US politican Sarah Palin: "My parents or my baby with Down syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's death panel so his bureaucrats can decide ... whether they are worthy of healthcare".

"Death panels", as incredibly stupid as it sounds, sounded pretty sane to those who listen to Palin or who wasted too many brain cells at a GED graduation bong party. Unfortunately these same folks had enough brain cells left to come vote last November.

The final version of the health care legislation, signed into law by President Barack Obama in March, authorized Medicare coverage of yearly physical examinations, or wellness visits. The new rule says Medicare will cover "voluntary advance care planning," to discuss end-of-life treatment, as part of the annual visit.

Who could possibly be against that? Wellness visits are just plain common sense. Most insurance companies cover these at a very low cost. And for anyone who had to deal with end-of-life treatment knows how valuable this service can be. Unfortunately there are more idiots in this country that regular people and will probably think this means the government is going to take control of your bodily functions as you drive down the street listening to Michael Berry.

Idiots.

My Christmas list. Are you on it?

The season of Christmas is a time for giving, like giving a frozen turkey to little Hispanic kids and their parents at a local HISD elementary school, expecting them to covert to republicanism. For some it is about giving a pocket full of change to someone ringing a bell in front of a Wall Mart where old people are working trying to make enough money to pay for their prescription medicines.

And for some it is a time to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and attend church, accept communion, and make a small donation to the church for providing a place for their fat ass once a year. (sometimes twice for Easter also)

Christmas has something for everyone. It is a time for many to give just enough so they can feel good about themselves as a human being as they enter the new year with a newly charged heart of hate. And for them I give the following:

• State Representative Debbie Riddle. Rebirth as a child of an illegal immigrant.
• State Representative Leo Berman. Rebirth as a human being.
• Senior Citizen Teabaggers. The end of your Medicare and a $10 coupon to help lower the cost for private insurance that will cover your pre-existing conditions, your prescription drugs, and your old age-ness.
• Children of Senior Citizen Teabaggers. Another bedroom so their parents can move in with them after losing their home to medical bills.
• Rick Perry. An indictment for funneling millions of tax dollars via the Texas Enterprise Fund to his donors.
• Sarah Palin. An opportunity to be on Dancing With the Stars paired with a hungry grizzly.
• Glen Beck. A "bullet in the head" by Rage Against the Machine. 
• Harris County Commissioner Jack Morman. A book "The Duties and Responsibilities of the Harris County Commissioner for Dummies"
• Teabaggers. A brain. These are the ignorant of the ignorant. They truly need help.
• Greg. A blog that doesn't suck. (no not YOU Greg!)
• Tom Delay. 10-20.
• Jerry Eversole. 5-10.

And to everyone else, go to church. Eat some turkey. And enjoy your family.

Texas insurance industry's State Representative Larry Taylor cleared

The Texas Insurance Industry's personal State Representative, Larry Taylor, was cleared of double dipping allegation by the Travis County District Attorney's office. From the Houston Chronicle:

Gregg Cox, the director of the Travis County Public Integrity Unit, informed Taylor in a letter that his office had closed the matter after reviewing Taylor's banking records.

"I'm pleased that they were able to handle it promptly and look at it fairly quickly rather than dragging it out for a long time," Taylor said.

The insurance industry is also pleased because they have invested a lot of time and money to make Larry Taylor the bitch of the industry. Losing him due to a double dipping allegation would have been devastating requiring another effort to find a lapdog willing to whore themselves to the industry.

For Larry this is not hard to do. Larry owns an insurance company. If you have every attended a hearing in Austin concerning skyrocketing insurance rates Larry Taylor was there doing his best to provide excuses and cover for his buddies. And he makes it pretty clear that his purpose is to keep his industry awash in money. He has no interest at all in the consumer aspect of the issues even though his district has some of the highest rates of insurance in the entire country.

For the industry, they are clear. For others who have been accused of double dipping, this quick review and clearance of Taylor might be worrisome. It should be easy to prove you are not double dipping. And it shouldn't take long for the DA to agree.

We are a nation that says "Out of many we are one"

President Signs Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" | C-SPAN

Finally. An excellent speech by the President ending 17 years of stupidity.

Indictment shows lack of gun control by Jerry Eversole

KHOU TV posted a copy of the indictment against Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole. It is a pretty boring read, except for the parts about the guns.

In the complaint filed with the Texas Ethics Commission it was alleged that Eversole was spending his campaign donations on personal items, which is against the law. (full list of items here) These items included over $12,000 in western clothes, $8000 in western art, $18,000 in golf supplies, $39,000 in western books including one for $6000 from Robert Gwodz antique book seller in Burbank California. He also purchased over $39,000 worth of antique guns.

In the indictment it was noted that an individual named Michael Surface (also indicted) paid $7600 to a firearms dealer for antique firearms for Eversole, and $4700 directly to Eversole for "pistols/rifle/clothes". He later purchased another $9000 in antique firearms for Eversole. Then another $6500, $5000, and $8000 for a gun safe.

Eversole made two major gun purchases for $10,000 and $27,000 to the Former Texas Rangers Foundation and later donated these to a charity after the ethics complaint was filed. (See TEC settlement) Clearly Eversole has a gun control issue and it might land him in jail.

A Recap of Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole

Yesterday Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole was indicted  on 4 felony counts:

Eversole is charged with accepting a bribe from developer and former Harris County facilities director Mike Surface. Details of the alleged bribe were not immediately available.

Eversole also was indicted on a single count of conspiracy and two counts of filing false statements on his income taxes in 2003 and 2004.

Here is a recap of Eversole and the associated stories:

1993 Indicted on perjury and misuse of campaign funds:

Eversole was indicted in 1993 on charges of perjury and unlawful record-keeping related to nearly $90,000 in campaign expenses.

The allegations stemmed from what was then a common practice of officeholders: paying for services out of their own pockets, then reimbursing themselves through campaign funds. Officeholders would list themselves on campaign finance reports as recipients of the funds instead of the vendors they had paid, making it unclear where the money was going. The state 14th Court of Appeals quashed the charges in 1998.

2009 Wayne Dolefino of KTRK ran a series on Eversole for his misuse of campaign donations.

Large fine for Comm. Eversole's campaign
Grand jury gets evidence on Eversole
Jerry Eversole ethics bombshell
Eversole admits mistakes in campaign report
Questions about Jerry Eversole's house
Ethics questions swirl around official
Commissioner Eversole's office time investigated

2009 Texas Ethics Commission levies the largest fine in it's history, $75,000, against Eversole for converting campaign cash to personal items. A total of over $162,000 was documented. Eversole had to pay back $41,000 leaving $121,000 untouched due to the 2 year statute of limitations.

2009 The Harris County District Attorney refuses to file charges against Eversole.

2010 Indicted by the Federal Government

Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole will not resign

UPDATE:

Eversole is charged with accepting a bribe from developer and former Harris County facilities director Mike Surface. Details of the alleged bribe were not immediately available.
Eversole also was indicted on a single count of conspiracy and two counts of filing false statements on his income taxes in 2003 and 2004.

With the full backing of the Harris County republican party, Jerry Eversole who has been indicted by the Federal Government, will not step down.  It is surprising that the republican party is backing him instead of asking him to resign. But, then again, it is the republican party, and Eversole has donated lots of money to them and to their chair Jerod Woodfill.

Ever wonder why the Harris County Republican Party has been quiet about Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole's historic ethics violations? Ever wonder where the moral outrage from the party of conservative values went? Ever wonder why they haven't called for his immediate resignation? Well, answers may have been found!

So, why has the Harris County Republican Party, the party of ethics and conservative values been so quiet about this? There are 19,000 reasons. In 2009 Friends of Jerry Eversole donated $19,000 to the HCRP. To top this off, Eversole donated $1000 to the Chair of the HCRP, Jared Woodfill who is being challenged by 3 others for the chair. Jared has refused to comment on Eversole's situation. Cha-Ching!

Moral outrage. Yea right. This isn't Eversole's first rodeo. In the early 90's he was indicted for misusing his campaign funds. In 2009 he was fined $75,000 for....wait for it....misusing his campaign funds. This latest indictment is a federal indictment. And it doesn't look pretty for Jerry:

HOUSTON - A federal indictment has been handed down against Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole. He has been charged with making false statements on tax returns.

That is a pretty generic charge possibly easier to prove than other charges. You know...I thought about this tax evasion bit when Eversole used over $160,000 of his donor's money to buy personnel items. 

Surely Eversole reported this free money on his tax returns. Anyone under the strong ethical standards of Judge Ed Emmett (gag) would report this free money as all fine patriotic Americans do.

Hum.....

What Perry promised Aaron Pena for switching parties

It might be a really good Christmas, depending upon which side of the table you are on.

Aaron Pena who tucked tail and ran to the republican party is swaggering around like a sheep after being invited for dinner by a pack of jackals. Aaron probably thinks the jackals will overlook the fact that he looks just as illegal as Meg Whitman's maid. And they might. For a while.

Pena didn't move without some promises from the white folk. Greg thinks he will lead the redistricting committee dividing his own district enough to get a republican fear monger elected to Congress. (himself) I think the white folks also are going to make him their little Mexican boy, the face of their party in Hispanic communities. You will see more of his face on Fox News, the same folks who use Hispanics like pinatas filled with crack. At least Pena isn't full of crack. Rachel, who is mean, wrote:

"Aaron Peña has gone over to the side of people who are unalterably opposed to anything and everything of any benefit to the people of the [Rio Grande] Valley," Freeman said. "He has in a very real sense become an enemy of the people of the Valley."

Pena is making the "Oh woe is me" tour on Fox News to justify why he ran into the arms of the enemy. Historically Hispanics are not too kind towards those who run. We do not like cowards. We don't like people who game the system for personal achievement. We don't like two faced flippers. Double talkers. Or sheep.

Unless it is for a bar-b-que. Bahhhhh.

Lie-O-Meter: The government takeover of health care

As I have said before Never misunderestimate the power of ignorance. From the St Petersburg Times PolitiFact: concerning "The government takeover of health care" spread by the republican party, Fox News, and their talking radio heads:

Readers of PolitiFact, the St. Petersburg Times' independent fact-checking website, also chose it as the year's most significant falsehood by an overwhelming margin. (Their second-place choice was Rep. Michele Bachmann's claim that Obama was going to spend $200 million a day on a trip to India, a falsity that still sprouts.)

This "Government takeover of Health Care" claim was selected as the 2010 "Lie of the Year". The republican party have mastered taking advantage of the ignorant or those who are too lazy to research something as important as health care any further than a sound bite from Fox News. This power over the army of zombies will continue until they dismantle the health care bill and transfer the control and money to the insurance industry.

Because giving control to the insurance industry will result in lowering the cost of health care for everyone. (and some people still believe that crap.)

POH: If you build it and they don't come

What happens at the Port of Houston when they build a massive cruise ship port and no cruise ships come to use it? Give a 6 figure bonus of course! From the Chronicle:

The Port of Houston gave its last executive director a $141,500 thank-you when he retired nine months before the expiration of his contract, the port acknowledged this week.

The payout to Tom Kornegay is one of several high-dollar goodbye packages the port has granted departing executives in the past five years, according to records released to the Chronicle in response to a public information request.

The cruise port has to be one of the biggest failures in the history of the city. It rots, empty, with no possibility of a ship pulling into port in the near future. But, no one is held accountable. No one is held accountable  for the false promises of travelers flocking to the chemical corridor of Pasadena to enjoy the view and board a ship in the middle of no where.

Yep. Accountability is just another word for fuget-bout it.

Predators could crash your party at Ellington Air Force Base

I said it before:

And DeLay wonders why those of us who have worked hard to support and defend our community have harsh words for him. What a rotten bastard. 

But that has nothing to do with the drones falling out of the sky, this time one from Mexico. From the El Paso Times:

The El Paso Police Department was the first agency to confirm that the Mexican drone had crashed in the city. "I was told that it crashed in somebody's backyard, and that no one was injured. I was paged at 6:28 p.m. on Tuesday, so it happened shortly before that," El Paso police Detective Mike Baranyay said. "We were told it was not a police matter." 

Ellington is home to a pack of drones for training and maintenance. Currently the FAA will not allow them to fly over populated areas. During the 911 scare the US scared people into believing that drones were needed to patrol and protect the petrochemical industry. Nobody could say just how this was going to be accomplished but it was another defense cash cow opportunity that couldn't be turned down.

Would the drone operators look for vehicles with the Terrorist symbol painted on the top? Or the terrorist flotilla approaching the coast? Or would it dog fight with an oncoming UAV fitted with an anthrax spraying device just like the one that Sadam didn't have?

Either way, the drones are not scheduled to fall out of Ellington anytime soon, but where there is a buck to be made in the defense budget, and a healthy load of ignorance and fear, there will be a possibility of a drone crashing your party sometime in the future.

Enjoy! Oh...i really did say it before.

John Boehner. The Weeper of the House

Two steps from the White House and this guy ain't emotionally right. Thanks to The View for the title!

Tits for Tax

For over 8 years Rick Perry has kept his promise of no new taxes (except for the ill conceived business tax) but raised the fees on everything from huntin' and fishin' to tannin' salons. No one seemed to care much. Not only did he raise taxes...uh....fees, but his policies of less regulation to generate competition resulted in insurance bills tripling, college costs doubling, and electricity rates shocking. But, again, no one seemed to care.

Now comes the City of Houston which took a bold step in the  balancing budget by reevaluating their fee structures. From the Houston Chronicle, the leading, and only, paper in Houston:

HOUSTON — The City Council voted Wednesday to hike fees on almost 150 municipal services to help close a nearly $30 million budget shortfall, meaning it's going to be more expensive to operate a taxi, feed a parking meter or obtain a permit to install a burglar alarm.

It's going to cost more to go to a titty bar also and dat don't sit purty with the teabaggers. Ya see, here in Texas you can triple our insurance rates, double the cost of college edumacation, and even charge more fer a fishin' liesin, but as God as ma witness you Don't Mess With Titties. Not here by gosh.

Look for a revolt by the baggers in the near future. They couldn't stand up when their elderly neighbors' electricity bills doubled or their insurance rates tripled, but raise the tax on tits and they have the torches lit.

And a pocket full of dollar bills. (cheap bastards)

Why Aaron Pena won't return any contributions

I just figured out why Aaron Pena will not return any donations after running as a Democrat then tucking tail as a republican. It is pretty easy. All of his donations came from REPUBLICANS! Including a $5000 donation from the owner of the House, Bob Perry.

Now Perry, as least, does not support the wide eyed, rabid, frothing at the mouth, anti-Mexican law makers like Debbie Riddle, Leo Berman, or any other republican for that matter. The home building industry counts on the Mexican labor, the cheap Mexican labor, and does not want anything to disrupt this cash cow. I am sure Pena will help out on that end.

Here is a list of who donated to Pena in 2010. I think Aaron is going to hold on to that turncoat money:

Ahlberg, Trevor	$1,000.00
American Electric Power,	$1,000.00
Bensten, Calvin	$500.00
Capelo, Jaime	$500.00
CenterPoint Energy,	$500.00
Erben and Yarbrough,	$250.00
Friends of time Warner PAC,	$1,000.00
Graydon Group,	$500.00
Hillco,	$500.00
Independent Insurance Agents of Texas,	$250.00
K&L Gates,	$250.00
Kamm, Robert	$100.00
La Mantia, Greg	$1,000.00
Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson,	$500.00
ONeok Employee PAC,	$250.00
Perry, Bob	$5,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform,	$1,000.00
Texas Beverage Allliance,	$500.00
Texas Consumer Finance Association,	$500.00
Texas Consumer Lenders PAC,	$1,500.00
Texas Land Title Association,	$100.00
Texas Manufactured Housing Association,	$1,500.00
Toomey, Mike	$1,000.00
TREPAC,	$2,500.00
TSCPA PAC,	$500.00
Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas,	$500.00

SURPRISE! Allstate to raise rates next month!

Welcome to Texas.

With the prospect of less regulation of the insurance industry guaranteed in the next legislation session, Allstate jumps the gun and announced a hike in next month's rates. From the Dallas Morning News:

AUSTIN — Allstate Insurance has notified the Texas Department of Insurance that it will increase homeowners’ rates statewide by 5.4 percent to 9.7 percent next month. 

The Texas Department of Insurance Companies was last seen hiding under the desk. Enjoy.

Another Double Dipper? Joe Crabb

The Texas Tribune might have nailed another double dipper. From the Texas Tribune via the New York Times:

Mr. Crabb, Republican of Atascocita, who has a medium-sized district about three hours from Austin, spent $48,405 — including $12,000 on mileage at a 50-cents-a-mile rate. He did not return phone calls for comment.

$12,000 on mileage? That is a total of 24,000 miles in a single year. Pretty impressive driving record. The Tribune claims this figure came from the Comptroller's office meaning Crabb was submitting reimbursements for mileage. If this is the case, maybe there is another reason Crabb is leaving the House.

According to his campaign finance reports Crabb has also been charging mileage to his campaign account. In the first half of 2010 he claimed over $2800. In 2009 - $7700+, 2008 - $7700+, 2007-$3900+, and 2006 $5300+. A total of over $36,000 from 2003 to 2010 was reimbursed to Crabb from his campaign account for mileage.

So the only question is whether these very same reimbursements were requested from the taxpayers as well as from his campaign account. If so, then we have another double dipper Joe. And yet another investigation by the Travis County DAs office to deal with.

Comptroller's records have been requested.

Kate Gosselin of Kate Plus 8 shoots Palin

Anchorage Alaska: Kate Gosselin of the realty show Kate Plus 8 and a former dancer in Dancing With The Stars shot Sarah Palin after a 3 day camping trip with the Palin family. According to KBUL of Vestige Alaska:

"As God as my witness, I just couldn't take another minute of that high pitched frickin shrill of Palin. As any momma grizzly would do to protect her cubs eardrums from permanent damage, I shot the hell outa Palin to close her yapper!" said a clearly strung out Gosselin.

Forest rangers confirmed that Palin had indeed been shot. "It was nothing but a slight wound. Kate is a city girl and can't seem to aim very well. Palin would have been fine, but her husband, Todd, field dressed her before help could arrive. Dat boy aint right."

Gosselin was recovering from living in the same tent with Palin for three days. She was last seen in the fetal position.

Aaron Pena: You can get with this. Or you can get with that.

I dedicate my favorite commercial to Texas State Representative Aaron Pena to help him make a decision on whether to defect from the Democratic Party and join the republicans. It's called "You can get with this. Or you can get with that.":





As the hamster says, you can get with this, or you can get with that. "That" being the republican party.
And when you get with that, this is what you get:

• Teabagged in the primary. You are not one of them. You will never be one of them. 
• You are the wrong color. White is right in the republican party.
• You will be Perry's top "Mexican". That may be harsh, but you know it is true. They care more about your color when it furthers their agenda.
• You are not one of them religiously. Catholics are second class in the Christian pecking order. Again, it is harsh, but it is true. Unlike them, our religion does not tolerate hatred or bigotry.
• Your new party will (have) filed bills to pull you, your family, and your constituents over not because you're speeding, but because you are brown.
• Your new party will continue its attacks on Hispanics, calling them cockroaches and claiming they spread disease.
• Your new party will continue to attack the gay population even though they are willing to take a bullet fighting in Iraq to protect your new party's right to attack them.
• Your new party will continue to attack the elderly, the sick, the poor, and those who are asking for nothing more than a living wage.
• Your new party will take mean spirited to new levels, executing people whether guilty or not. Cutting funds for health care to the poor little brown Mexican kids running around in your district. (their words not mine)

The Democratic Party was out hustled in November not because of what we stand for, but for what the ignorant in this state believed from the $ Billions spent by Fox and friends. The choice is yours.

You can get with this, or you can get with rats. The Democratic Party may not be pretty, but this is where it's at. Doo. Da. Dippity.

Houston Chronicle: Pull the trigger on Don Sumners

Ha! The Houston Chronicle has the same thought about pulling the trigger on Harris County Voter Registrar Don Sumners:

We hope this is not an indication of the quality of policy decision-making by Sumners in the future. Now that the election's over, we believe Commissioners Court should create an independent election administrator position that will insulate this vital governmental function from the partisanship and issue grandstanding exhibited by recent tax assessor-collectors. 

Unfortunately Sumners was teabagging before it was cool to teabag. Discontinuing registration of newly swore in citizens was mean spirited, partisan, and just a real incredibly stupid idea. But that is Don Sumners. Get used to it for at least the next 2 years unless Ed Emmett calls for an independent administrator position.

But, as I said, don't hold your breath. Emmett likes teabagging also.

Is it lights out for the Texas Ethics Commission?

It's not what you think I am implying, or wishing for.

The Texas Ethics Commission because of budget cuts have turned off their 1-800 number! EGADS! The notice on the front page reads:

Due to current budget reductions, we are eliminating our toll free 1-800 line. Please use our main office line (512)463-5800 to contact us by phone.
We apologize for any inconvenience.

Now that, my friends, is sacrifice. Now if elected officials need an opinion on whether it is legal to double dip, or use their campaign money to buy a pair of $1500 cowboy boots, or to buy a cow at auction, or to funnel money to their spouses company, they will have to use their own minutes on their own campaign cell phone.

Or they can visit the TEC. They can drive the $54,000 Ford truck their campaign bought them, or their $50,000 Mercedes their husband's company loaned them, or use the personal aircraft and their pilot their campaign rents for them, then charge the campaign and the taxpayers for the cost of the trip. Or they can even drive their personal Winnebago and camp outside the TEC waiting for an answer to their question about using a Winnebago for lodging during the legislation session. (and of course charge it to the campaign)

Unfortunately, the TEC has been given ideas in the past on how to prevent illegal activities from happening and therefore eliminating the need for processing of complaints, but no one was listening. The TEC has been blind to ethics violations happening right in front of their eyes. They have been dumb in their pathetic responses to these responses. And now they won't even listen.

Deaf. Dumb. Blind.

Houston Council Member Mike Sullivan beaned with political fastball

Houston City Council Member,  Mike "Flipper" Sullivan, has his baseball panties in a bunch. After City Council unanimously voted for the budget in June, Sullivan can't run fast enough to put his face in front of a camera. Both of them. From KHOU:





Sullivan was one of those unanimous votes and now he can't run fast enough to the nearest camera to bash the very budget he voted for. Sullivan has a problem with playing with others and the need to grandstand. He thinks he is cute to play baseball politics until someone beans him with a fastball. Then he whines to the nearest camera.

When Parker was elected she extended the olive branch to Sullivan to oversee the redistricting process. Sullivan doesn't have a fair or firm bone in his body. Having someone like Sullivan who will flip and flop on the sight of a TV camera for the sake of self promotion is a recipe for disaster. Now it seems like Mayor Parker beaned him with a fastball:

Sullivan said she told him she was not sure she could trust him to manage the redistricting process anymore.

And Sullivan is surprised? Really?  REALLY? He gave his word to the Mayor on a vote for Port Commissioner then reneged on his promise. He gave his word for support of the budget along with his collegues then reneged for TV time and an opportunity to bash the Mayor. Sullivan is a team player that you wish played for the other team.

Redistricting is a very serious matter. It requires someone who you can depend upon. A team player that despite personal opinions, political agendas, and personal self promotion, will  keep his word to his team. Sullivan's word is as solid as a cheap bowl of ice cream on a hot summer night in hell.

Look for another scoop of whining from Sullivan to follow.

Thou Shall not Steal: TX State Rep Dan Flynn

Dan Flynn, who filed a bill to display the ten commandments in classrooms, has been caught breaking the VIII commandment, stealing from the taxpayers. From Jay Root of the Associated Press:

The Associated Press asked him about thousands of dollars in questionable travel expenses, including more than $11,000 that was billed both to taxpayers and his political campaign.

Flynn, a self-described expert in financial management, has enough excuses to last a hypocrite a lifetime. Such as:

He said he was too busy traveling to determine if he kept the money or reimbursed the private account he used to pay for the travel. 

The Travis County DAs office most probably has all the information and hopefully will take appropriate action. Flynn will eventually say he just made a simple mistake, nothing more, when in reality he was stealing. Anyone else would be charged with a felony.

Note to Flynn: God might forgive you, but I suggest when you talk with the DA's office you re-read the VI commandent: Thou shall not lie. Double dipping is called stealing. Lying to the DA is called perjury.

If Flynn was found to have been stealing from the taxpayers, what should his punishment be, considering we Texans are "tough on crime"? I suggest reimbursement to the Comptrollers office and a $30,000 fine in lieu of a year in jail.

Emmett should pull the trigger on Don Sumners

I said in the past that Harris County Judge Ed Emmett had an election problem and his name is Don Sumners. Don has become a dick. Earlier this year Emmett said this:

Therefore, I am in favor of studying whether Harris County should create an appointed, nonpartisan office of elections administrator combining elements now assigned to the elections division of the Harris County clerk's office and the voter registration section of the county's tax assessor-collector's office. 

Maybe now, after Sumner's boner yesterday of discontinuing voter registration at the swearing in ceremonies for new citizens,  Emmett might dust off this much needed idea so Sumners is stripped of his partisan hackery.  Emmett says it best in his op-ed:

Clearly, voters are tired of candidates who put their candidacies above the public good.

But, don't go holding your breath. Emmett is in full support of the tea baggers and if they can help Sumners limit voter registration, his party will continue to win. What a dick.

Gone fishing.

Over a number of years I conversed with Carlos Guerra, columnist for the San Antonio Express, over email and the phone. It was during the Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi this past summer that I finally got to meet him. (Thank you Stace!) He sat across from me at a great Mexican restaurant that I stumbled upon. He pretty much carried the conversation and everyone was glad he did. I still have the "Do I look illegal?" button he gave me.

For the following months we kept in touch via Facebook. He had been encouraged to consider writing again and what do you know? He did, creating newstaco.com. I hope his staff will continue what Carlos started.

A few years ago my brother took me to Port Aransas for a fishing trip. I have been hooked (ha-ha) ever since. It is fun. It is exciting. And it is peaceful. Carlos passed away yesterday in Port Aransas where he went  fishing.

Sometimes the biggest and best get away. Fish in peace Carlos!

Don Sumner's letter to Harris County Tax Assessor employees

Don Sumners, CPA, RTA, HMFIC, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector & Voter Registrar

New Days Are Ahead at Harris County Tax Office

November 15, 2010

Dear Tax Office Employees:

Less than 12 months ago I embarked on a campaign to become your Tax Assessor Collector. At the time I had no idea what I was doing or what I would do if I won. That is still true today. I raised no money or interest. I didn't even campaign but I was lucky the voters of Harris County were ignorant enough to vote me in. In the end all of my hard work, knocking on 10 doors, and raising enough money to buy a Christmas duck, paid off.

As I had said to myself if I got elected, the Tax Office will act as an advocate for the taxpayers, serve the needs of its customers, respect and value its employees, and use my office to attack my political opponents and those who think I am bat shit crazy. Effective immediately the following will be strictly adhered to:

1. A dress code will be strictly enforced. Women need to dress like women. A dress with nice, smooth, silky stockings that lightly glisten in the morning sun light would be quite adequate. 
2. Men will need to invest in suspenders. If I look good in them, you will look good in them. A pair of shorts with black socks and penny loafers would also be a good investment.
3. Coffee will be free and lovingly prepared each morning by the women in the office.
4. Childish pranks upon employees like snapping their suspenders will not be tolerated.

There will be terminations in the near future. My policy for termination will be as followed:

1. If you are a productive employee you will have a job.
2. If you are any color besides lily white, you should find employment elsewhere.
3. If you are not a Roman Catholic, you should praise the Lord cuz you are fired!
4. If you look at me cross eyed, you are fired.
5. If you are cross eyed, you are fired.
6. If you don't like suspenders, fired.
7. If you don't like silk, smooth, stockings that glisten in the morning dew, fired. You freak.
8. If I don't like you, fired.
9. If you smell, fired.
10. If I smell, fired.

There is so much more to tell you, but not the space or time to do it. See you at work. I am sure I will be able to provide you four good years of laughter and expensive employment lawsuits.

Sincerely,
Don "the fucking idiot" Sumners.

p.s. The real letter by this freakazoid is at http://www.scribd.com/doc/42668029/Don-Sumners-Letter-to-Employees-11-15-2010

Dick Cheney is prematurely rotting in hell

 

May he

DeLay,, Earmarks, and the State Republican Executive Committee

I said a long time ago that the teabaggers were nothing but a bunch of WARTS (White Angry Republican Teabaggers) and yesterday's news proved it:

Influenced largely by the Tea Party, Republicans in Congress this year have taken a firm stance against earmarks to show their commitment to cutting back government spending.
It turns out, however, that members of the House Tea Party Caucus requested more than $1 billion in earmarks in the 2010 fiscal year, the National Journal reports.

Frickin oops! We have seen during the Bush years what fiscal responsibility means to the baggers. Over the eight years they were in power they nearly doubled out debt, but yell SOCIALISM and everyone forgets. Remember, they didn't misunderestimate the ignorance of voters.

And now the baggers of the State republican Executive Committee have wasted their time on a resolution calling for a ban on the Travis County District Attorney's office to prosecute criminals. Seriously. Here is a part of the resolution:

Be it further resolved, that the State Republican Executive Committee calls upon the Texas Legislature to permanently eliminate the authority of the Travis County District Attorney’s office to prosecute state and federal elected officials like Tom Delay, due to the grossly politicized environment of Travis County, as well as to devise a special prosecutor system for cases involving state and federal elected officials, to be overseen and administered jointly by the Attorney General and the Governor of Texas, 

The SREC is clearly a bunch of dick heads. They have at least two of their own Tom DeLay's, Driver and Harper-Brown, being investigated for screwing the taxpayers with more coming. The only way to stop this is to eliminate the office of investigation. They are hoping to return to the days of DeLay where corruption was just another word for republican.

Oh...and they want the Governor to pardon Tom DeLay, a power that Perry doesn't have. Next up for the SREC? A resolution making Christmas a national tasty treat.

(Thanks to the Texas Tribune for the pic)

The power of ignorance: McDonald's coffee lawsuit

As I have said, never misunderestimate the power of ignorance.


Most people believe that Stella Liebeck was drving a car with a cup of hot McDonalds coffee in her lap. It spilled. It burned. She sued and won millions in a lawsuit against McDonalds. Those who are ignorant probably was listening to druggy rush and believed every word of it. Those who are just plain stupid won't bother to learn the real story. Here is a summary of the facts:

• Stella Liebeck wasn't driving the car.
• The car was not moving
• The hot coffee spilled in her lap causing 3rd degree burns and requiring $20,000 in medical attention.
• Liebeck, who also underwent debridement treatments, sought to settle her claim for $20,000, but McDonalds refused. 
• McDonalds admitted the coffee was 40 degrees hotter than at home
• McDonalds had over 700 complaints of coffee burning people
• McDonalds did nothing to resolve this situation
• She was awarded $2.7 Million in punitive damages or two days of coffee profits
• The judge reduced it to $480,000.

Another budget fix: Kill Perry's Emerging Technology Fund

I'm piling on to Muse's suggestions on how to fix the republican $25 Billion deficit.

Rick Perry's personal slush funds, the Emerging Technology Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund, have been cloaked in secrecy and scandals. and it is no longer needed in Texas. When the republicans begin cutting the budget to make up for the $25 Billion deficit they created, the ETF and TEF should be easy pickin's for a cool $500 Million.

If a company needs an incentive to come to Texas to do business in a state with little or no oversight or oversight provided by a commission designed to protect the industries, then they do not need to be doing business in this state. This state is enticing to business, drawing them in like flies to a fresh pile of Texas bullshit. From the Texas Tribune:

No matter who administers the funds after the 2011 session, both will likely have less money to hand out, with lawmakers trimming billions of dollars from the next state budget. But Perry spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger says they're still a worthy investment for the Legislature and taxpayers.

BULLSHIT! There is no need to provide any incentives especially when Perry just awards the funds to his buddies. With a $25 Billion debt, we can't afford to give away any more free money for little if any return. It is time to kill the ETF and the TEF.

The Honorable Texas State Representative Leo Berman is a fucking idiot.

Is that title a bit over the top?

Leo Berman is an embarrassment to the elderly, alzheimer patients, as well as the entire human race. Berman who prides himself in fighting in World War I, is a poster child for the milk carton missing elderly advertisements. Someone really needs to take one for the team and use their God given rights to refudiate Berman. If Berman was a mangy old dog it would have already been done, out of mercy to the dog.

For the love of God would someone please refudiate this old, senile, bastard? Watch this painful interview with Leo Berman and then prepare yourself for a Palin style refudiation:

Criminal probe of State Representative Joe Driver begins

As Muse said yesterday, the Texas Ethics Commission is worthless, but the Travis County District Attorney's Office has teeth. Sharp ones. And unfortunately for State Representative Joe "Double Dip" Driver, they are using them. From the Austin Statesman:

"We were presented a complaint that appeared to be sufficient to require additional investigation to determine whether or not the law was violated," Cox said. "Now that the election has passed, the review, and the investigation, is taking place."

Prior to the election Driver was outed by Jay Root of the Associated Press. Root identified $17,000+ of travel related expenses that were paid by his campaign and also by the Comptroller's Office. Driver pocketed this "free money".

Later it was noted that Driver received $40,000 from the Comptroller's Office for mileage, for a car he does not own. Driver has since stated he has reimbursed his campaign (not the tax payers) $49,426 which has not been seen on his reports as of yet.

Of course, now our republican elected officials want ethics reform. They had their chance last session with a comprehensive bill filed by State Representative Senfronia Thompson. It went no where.

"If there is some place where we mandatorily [mandatorily?] show we were reimbursed by somebody else or by the state, it would make it more transparent," Geren said. "I'm going to work with the Ethics Commission to design a form that will accommodate that."

Yea. Another form to tell republicans they can't steal from the taxpayers. That is the ticket.