Check back around the first of August

I won't be near a computer for awhile.

Perry's deviation from 'rock-ribbed' conservatism easily explained

This Hill article says Perry isn't too conservative after all, because Perry supported a Dream Act in 2001 and wanted to mandate HPV vaccinations for all Texas girls.  I know 2001 was 10 years ago, but back then George Bush wanted to court Hispanic voters.  Perry just followed along.  Bush and Perry were reading the demographic tea leaves.  But racist republican voters didn't care for Hispanics in 2001 and they sure don't care for Hispanic voters today.  Perry has to be elected by racist republicans and will dance to whatever tune they play.  As for the HPV vaccinations, you have to know that Perry is crony capitalist.  If it helps a crony, Perry is all for it.

The Hill is spewing propagandist cr*p about the anti-Hispanic legislation proposed this Texas session.  Perry was against the worst of it before he put sanctuary cities into the special session.  Again, the racist base wins over demographic tea leaves.  Perry got the best of both worlds, I suppose, when his business cronies, looking for cheap labor, killed the sanctuary cities bill.

Here is all you need to know about Rick Perry: Rick Perry is for whatever works best for Rick Perry.

Texas Tribune gives ridiculous parity to on Cargill's appointment to the SBOE

One side says this, the other side says that. Aren't we just the fairest, cutest reporter ever. No. Cargill said that there should be more conservative Christians on the State Board of Education.  How can this be a case of equality for both sides of the Cargill argument?  You know exactly what kind of leader Cargill will be.

I am so sick of the false equivalency reporting.

Annie's list likely to help Dolly Elizondo beat the odius Aaron Peña.

Annie’s List, a group that helps get progressive women elected to political office in Texas, is ready to spend $100,000 or more on a campaign to oust state Rep. Aaron Peña.

In a statement sent to the Guardian on Tuesday, Annie’s List Executive Director Robert Jones came close to endorsing Dolly Elizondo as the candidate to challenge Peña.

Ex-judge's racketeering and bribery case snares another

Karina Peña, a suspect in the racketeering case against former 404th state District Judge Abel C. Limas, pleaded guilty in federal court on a charge of aiding in Limas’ bribery scheme.

Peña, 29, admitted her part in the scheme during a re-arraignment Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen. Peña, of Corpus Christi, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge on June 27.

Airline's CEO arrested for child pornography

Robert Hedrick resurrected the Pan American Airways name, set up shop in the original Pan Am building at the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, and was working toward development of cargo operations in Brownsville and surrounding cities that — if they came to pass — would be a major economic boon to the region.

Now, with Hedrick jailed without bond and facing child pornography charges, all of it seems in danger of falling apart. Hedrick was arrested Monday at his Brownsville home following a federal investigation linking him to Internet distribution of multiple images containing child pornography. Whether PAA Inc. and Hedrick’s plan for linking Brownsville to global air cargo markets can survive is anybody’s guess.

Rick Perry was just joshing when he said God called him

Gov. Rick Perry on Monday told reporters not to take him so figuratively.

In his first meeting with the Capitol press corps in weeks, Perry said he didn't mean anything religious when he told the Des Moines Register recently that he'd been "called" to run president, the Tribune's Jay Root reports.

WTF? Perry really, really thinks we're stupid. Ok, his followers are. But, still, this seems like a bone-headed move. Why p*ss of his sheeple AND people who believe in separation of church and state?

Former Hidalgo Sheriff's deputly indicted on drug charges

It is way past time to legalize drugs. We should do it before everyone is totally corrupted, intimidated or dead. Take the profit motive out of the picture.

A former Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputy faces federal charges that he conspired to possess and distribute pot bundles while on the job.

Heriberto Diaz, a former burglary investigator, was indicted by grand jurors last week in U.S. District Court in McAllen. Documents detailing the charges were filed Friday in federal court.

In Britain, the police appear to be under the control of Rupert Murdoch. In the US, how long will it be before the police are under the control of the Zetas?

Veronica Gonzales receives first Voz del Pueblo award

A Rio Grande Valley coalition recognized state Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen, for advocating on behalf of working families, children and the poor during the legislative session.

The Rio Grande Valley Equal Voice Network, a group of 10 member organizations, chose unanimously to recognize Gonzales with its first Voz del Pueblo (Voice of the People) award Tuesday for fighting on behalf of vulnerable families, said Mike Seifert, a coordinator for the network. Gonzales distinguished herself in Austin when arguing against state budget cuts, anti-immigrant bills and other measures that would have disenfranchised working families.

Third quake in Ellis County since June rattles the dishes

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake had a magnitude of 3.0. The epicenter of the 2 a.m. Sunday quake was plotted about 13 miles west of Waxahachie near the Ellis County farming community of Venus

The Gulf dead zone will get bigger

Texas A&M oceanographers say they expect the 3,800-square-mile "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico to expand because of floodwaters flowing from the Mississippi River.

The zone is now the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. It's where the Gulf waters off the southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi coasts contain low oxygen levels, often leading to die-offs of marine life.

It's Monday blog roundup time!

The Texas Progressive Alliance congratulates Japan for its well-deserved victory in the Women's World Cup as it brings you this week's roundup.

Off the Kuff wonders how big the next state deficit will be. Because we're surely going to have one.

McBlogger takes a look at the Republicans most recent effort to give us RyanFraud.

With Perry running for the presidency, brace yourself for the Perry propaganda. CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme has officially warned you.

With Ron Paul's declination to run again for Congress, a muddy scrum broke out for the vacancy he leaves in CD-14. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs collects the names of some of the rumored entrants.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson shows us that the GOP's governing scheme continues, preach fiscal conservatism all the while running up debt to historic levels. Texas' debt has exploded under Perry.

Neil at Texas Liberal notes that Republican Tex. Ag. Comm. and Lt. Gov. candidate Todd Staples loves federal money. Neil also noted that Texas counties that voted strongly Republican in 2010 also love federal money.

Democrats unite to defeat douche bag Peña

Leading Democrats looking to challenge Republican state Rep. Aaron Peña in the reconfigured House District 41 seat will not fight each other in a “bloody” primary election.

Instead, they will reach a backroom deal within the next few weeks in order to promote one prominent candidate that the party can get behind, says Hidalgo County Democratic Party Chair Dolly Elizondo.

Elizondo has expressed interest in running for the District 41 seat, as has former Hidalgo County Democratic Party Chair R.D. “Bobby” Guerra. Elizondo said she and Guerra are in discussions.

Wind farms and the Kingsville Naval Air Station

A proposed wind farm in the Chapman Ranch area is one of 20 projects that could cause problems for the military, according to a nationwide review of renewable energy projects conducted by the Department of Defense.

The finding, announced Thursday, could cause delays or threaten the viability of the entire Chapman Ranch project if the developer and the military can't find a solution. A smaller project near Freer also is on the Pentagon's list of objectionable wind farms.

BP has new safety standards

Too little.  Too late.  Do these standards say - 'Don't get caught?'

republicans don't like death panels

Just letting all of the non-rich elderly die is so much more efficient.  Using our current health care system while killing Medicare is better than any death panel.

The Texas Tribune pushes the Perry propaganda

The Tribune calls Perry a 'a social and economic conservative.' In addition, the Tribune gives us this quote "The Republican Party is pretty much a three-legged stool, with social and fiscal conservatives and kind of a mix of gun and property rights and other issues," says Stephanie Klick, chairwoman of the Tarrant County GOP. "Sometimes you have fights at the dinner table … but Perry does a pretty good job of balancing those groups."

Both of those statements are pure bullsh*t. The republicans are in no way fiscal conservatives and Perry is no exception. republicans now are all about tax cuts for the rich and corporate control of our public policies. You can't make fiscal sense out of trashing our infrastructure and destroying our environment. You can't make fiscal sense out of deregulation even for the benefit of the businesses involved, unless you are a greedy corporate b*st*rd who wants to build a monopoly.

Here's the deal. Perry is a puppet for his corporate masters while he dons the disguise of a batsh*t crazy republican. Perry does his batsh*t crazy dance well. The vaccination fiasco just showed his real, puppet side too much. Here's all you need to know to analyze Perry: Rick Perry is for Rick Perry.

As for the composition of the republican party, you've got greedy corporate b*st*rds running the show with two flavors of batsh*t crazy following their script: paranoid libertarians and sheeple evangelicals.

Here's a shocker prediction. The greedy corporate b*st*rds will leave a skeleton crew over at the republican side and move fully into the Democratic party process. The debt ceiling talk was dominated too much by the batsh*t crazies. That sort of action disrupts the greedy. The batsh*ts have gotten off script.

Dead zone in the Gulf bigger than the state of Delaware

What about the oil spill?

Under a new plan to better understand the evolution of the Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone, researchers will now conduct three extensive cruises a summer, in June, July and August, instead of just one.

This year Texas A&M University researchers, led by oceanographer Steve DiMarco, left Galveston on June 25 and immediately found areas of low-oxygen, or hypoxic water, off the Texas coast.

Here's a headline that should shut Rick Perry up

'Texas' debt growing at faster rate than federal government's'

San Juan City Commission tiff

Mayor San Juanita Sanchez received initial validation Tuesday in her legal wrangling against the opposing slate.

Last month, Sanchez hit her fellow City Commission members with lawsuits and a temporary restraining order designed to keep them from quietly holding a meeting to repeal her control of city agendas.

Who said the Mayor should be the ultimate?

Ron Paul is leaving congress

Will that mean one less nut job? Probably not.

Republicans and Democrats both were pondering runs for national office Tuesday with the announcement that U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, who has held the District 14th Congressional District for 15 years, would not seek re-election in 2012.

Paul, 75, said he would focus all his attention on a presidential campaign.

Did you know that DNA can be used to catch a rapist? For years, Houston didn't

Apparently, stopping rapists wasn't much of a priority in Houston.

After calling police, the teen underwent a sexual assault examination. That rape kit evidence was placed in the Houston Police Department property room — and that's where it sat, untested for 12 years.

Last month, after a Houston Police Department investigator re-examined the case and requested the evidence be tested, the identity of the alleged rapist was uncovered: Roland Ali Westbrooks, 36, convicted and sentenced in 1997 for raping another Houston woman.

Westbrooks, serving a 28-year sentence in a Texas prison after pleading guilty to the 1997 rape charge, was charged Monday with aggravated sexual assault of the 16-year-old, according to court records.

Texas plants have agreed to seek EPA permits to operate

All 136 Texas plants, including two Corpus Christi facilities, that operate under the state's flexible permit program have agreed to seek permits approved by the federal government, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday.

Perry and his cronies lose a round in their fight to pollute Texas.

A bird study will precede a wind farm in South Texas

What an idea. Check something out before you commit.

Baryonyx Corporation, the Houston-based firm behind the proposal, insists it plans to study the bird situation carefully no matter what. Baryonyx recently submitted its application to the USACE for the construction of three wind farms off the coast of Texas, including two projects off South Padre Island.

WTF? Perry meets with Pakistani president

Ok. I know he's running for president, but ...???

Texas Governor Rick Perry told former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday that he wants to see the "historic" friendship between Pakistan and the United States continue in the face of recent conflicts over aid to that country's military, a spokesman said.

Exposing CIA agents and harboring Bin Laden is just fine?

Is Perry is pulling a Rove by trying to undercut Obama's strong point to GOP, i.e. getting Bin Laden? Or, is Perry pulling a Ronald Reagan and undermining a foreign relationship?

republican budget for Texas is a killer

Literally. People will die. Jobs will die.

The state budget cuts will have a chilling effect on Texas, said State Rep. Ryan Guillen Friday at the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Legislative “Report Card” Luncheon.

Some of the setbacks Texans will face are a $3 billion cut to Medicaid, a $4 billion cut to public education, which will cut $500 per student, and a $1 billion cut to higher education, which according to Guillen, took the biggest hit with cuts this biennium and the next.

“I think UTPA is taking an $18 million hit as part of that $1 billion cut, and they are already cutting employees,” said Guillen, D-Rio Grande City. “It’s going to be tough on our students, it’s going to be tough on financial aid and it’s going to tough be on tuition.”

Another cut that will have a tremendous negative effect on the economy will be the 6,500 state jobs cuts, said Guillen.

What do you make of this headline?

'Harris County sheriff vows to fix racism issues'

At least they admit there's a problem.

To end a federal inquiry into deputies' alleged religious and racial discrimination, Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia has agreed to hire an outside expert to monitor his department's internal affairs division.

The agreement is set to be approved today by Harris County Commissioners Court.

The U.S. Justice Department investigation was spurred by the discovery of emails from sheriff's commanders — before Garcia took office — that disparaged religious, racial and ethnic groups. The probe also was prompted by the treatment of members of a Sikh family detained in late 2008 after calling deputies to their home to investigate a burglary.

It's time for the Texas Progressive Alliance roundup!

The Texas Progressive Alliance salutes the US Women's National Team in their quest for the World Cup as it brings you this week's roundup.

Refinish69 has a Texas Update! We Are In A Severe Drought Situation! ACT LIKE IT STUPID!!!!!>. He also has a message for the young people out there. It Does Get Better.

Lightseeker takes us on a quick tour of the Perry prayer tactic over the last 10 years to make a point: when you discuss his upcoming Prayer Summit, don't fall into the trap of yelling "church and state", at least not only and not first. Check it out: Talking Back to Perry's Prayer Summit.

Bay Area Houston has the scoop on The Groundrules for Rick Perry's "The Response".

The Three Stooges -- Susan Combs, Todd Staples, and Jerry Patterson -- staged an eye-poking, face-slapping, hair-pulling pie fight as the Battle for Texas Lieutenant Governor in 2014 broke out early. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs reports from the front lines.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson tells us that as long as the same people keep showing up to vote nothing is going to change, The electorate must change, before change can come to Texas.

Off the Kuff looks at the opening arguments of the lawsuit over the sonogram bill, which didn't go in the direction people expected it to go.

This week on Left of College Station, Teddy returns after taking a hiatus from blogging to take a look at Governor Rick Perry’s far right radical social conservative appointment to the Texas State Board of Education.

Neil at Texas Liberal wrote about two books of New Deal Era Texas art that show Texans working together and respecting the land. This stands in sharp contrast to the current reality of Texas where greed, anger at people who are different, and exploiting public resources with no concern for the future are the order of the day. There are resources out there---in addition to your imagination and hard work---that offer Texans a path to a more hopeful way of everyday living.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to know why Bexar County DA Susan Reed didn't get any grief over denying a Mexican national consulate support in a death penalty case.

Which Texas Congressional Democrats voted to bash gays

That would be a**hats  Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Gene Green (D-Texas.

republican DA f*cks up Mexican National's case and no one notices

Bexar County DA, Susan Reed, didn't give a Mexican National up for the death penalty access to the Mexican Consulate. Why hasn't anyone given Reed grief over that?  If the case was such a slam dunk, why not let the Mexican Consulate know?

Both the administration and Babcock, Leal's Chicago-based attorney, in separate petitions, cited a bill pending before Congress, the Consular Notification Compliance Act, which would allow federal courts to review cases of foreign nationals on death row.

The International Court of Justice, in a 2004 ruling, had suggested the reviews as a remedy to its finding that the United States had violated the Vienna Convention by not letting 51 Mexican nationals, including Leal, know they could request help from their consulate when they were arrested.

Because Americans abroad have that right, efforts to stop his execution have garnered bipartisan support, his attorneys have argued.

Cornyn and Perry want to keep pollution levels high in Texas

The EPA wants us to be safer.

Power plant smokestack rules announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday will improve breathing conditions for elderly people and those with asthma, according to the agency.

The rules call for Texas plants to cut emissions that contribute to smog and soot, and utilities have said the new rule will drive up the costs of generating electricity.

Perry and Cornyn want their cronies to be richer.

Gov. Rick Perry criticized the rule as "heavy-handed and misguided," while U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said it is "another blow" to Texas by the Environmental Protection Agency that could threaten jobs and the affordability of electricity.

Aaron Peña says Valley Hispanics should suck up to republicans

Yessa, massa.

State Rep. Aaron Peña says McAllen city and business leaders should establish strong ties with the Republican officeholders who run Texas in order to protect programs the Rio Grande Valley relies upon.

Veronica Gonzales will not challenge douche bag Peña

State Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen, bid an official farewell to her adopted hometown Thursday by announcing she would not run for a newly drawn House seat anchored in McAllen.

TCEQ didn't find pollutants at Dona Park in Corpus Christi

Excavation of a vacant lot sandwiched between an abandoned zinc smelting plant and a neighborhood known for environmental contamination failed to turn up evidence that barrels filled with dangerous chemicals may have once been buried there.

Bañales refuses to dismiss charges against Harlingen City Commissioner

A judge on Thursday denied a motion to dismiss conflict-of-interest charges against Harlingen City Commissioner Kori Marra.

Visiting Judge Manuel Bañales set a Sept. 6 trial date on the two misdemeanors.

Bañales denied a motion from Marra’s defense to quash the charges of conflict of interest and failure to file an affidavit. Marra’s attorneys argued that no violation of law occurred and the charges against her were “frivolous.”

Even the Corpus Christi Caller Times can see through the Perry machine

Speaking of imaginations and other things being taxed, the governor and his security detail have been traveling the country on his unofficial campaign for president, at state expense.

Oh, yeah, and the Texas Supreme Court covered Perry's ass on his travel expenses.

TCEQ to report on what's buried in Dona Park

I already don't necessarily believe a word they say. TCEQ is a crony's dream.

State environmental officials today should uncover a decades-old mystery of what is buried beneath a vacant lot in Dona Park.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality agreed to excavate a 30- foot-by-40-foot area near the corner of Manchester Avenue and Up River Road late last year after a survey using ground-penetrating radar indicated something was buried there, said Omar Valdez, project manager with the commission.

If the drums came up with labels of a company clearly marked and a manifest clearly indicating who had the drums buried, I can see the TCEQ letting the doer go, if the doer was a crony.

Group making former Scientologist's life in Ingleside miserable

A Scientology group trying to discredit one of the religion's most influential ex-members by filming and surveilling him in this small bayside town plans to continue its activities — described by law enforcement as harassment — despite a new city ordinance.

The Squirrel Busters, who say they are making a documentary about Scientology defector Mark Rathbun, told the City Council they won't abide by the ordinance that would have required them to apply for a film permit.

Instead, they submitted a letter saying their lawyers told them the city ordinance violates their free speech rights and could draw the city into lawsuits. The letter did not explicitly threaten to sue the city.

The Galveston County Daily News blasts the Galveston Housing Authority

Good job!

In June, with the city council discussing a request to lift restrictions on $5 million in funding to the housing authority, Councilwoman Elizabeth Beeton asked for some public documents. She asked for an accounting of all insurance proceeds the agency has received since Hurricane Ike and an accounting of funds paid to consultants. She also asked for a copy of the authority’s annual financial report.

There’s no question: The public — much less an elected official — is entitled to see those records.

Making people play the game of “Mother May I” to get information they are entitled to just doesn’t help promote the image of an agency that wants to be open and accountable.

Jeff Wentworth is either a cynical a**hole, a bigot or both

Using an advertisement in Sunday's San Antonio Express-News, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth outlined his positions on the failed sanctuary cities bill, congressional redistricting and his belief that he has been targeted by the editor and two columnists because he is a Republican.

If by republican, you mean cynical, racist a**hole, then, yes.

Wentworth took out an ad against Leticia Van de Putte because she called the republicans out on their racist sanctuary cities bill. Leticia Van de Putte is right. I used to have a modicum of respect for Wentworth. Bye, bye to that.

It's time for the Texas Progressive Alliance roundup!

The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes the United States a happy 235th birthday as it brings you this holiday week roundup.

Off the Kuff took a look at changes in turnout in Congressional districts between 2006 and 2010.

After much chaos the GOP-led Texas Lege finally adjourned this week. WCNews at Eye On Williamson says that what we got is what happens When fools rule.

How does "Tommy Lee Jones, United States Senator from Texas" sound? It's still a possibility, according to the recent news collected by PDiddie at Brains and Eggs.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is already sick of Rick Perry's presidential run what with the propaganda and a**hattery.

Neil at Texas Liberal noted that despite all the talk in Texas about how the federal government is bad, the State of Texas is taking disaster aid from Washington to help manage wildfires and drought.

The republican war on women succeeds in lowering life expectancy of Texas women

A new national study found that women in hundreds of U.S. counties, including nearly a third of those in Texas, had a shorter life expectancy in 2007 than in 1997.

Men did not suffer the same kind of decline. And Hispanic immigrants live longer than whites and blacks, a puzzle the study underscored.

The "Falling Behind" study, put out in mid-June by the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, shows that life spans vary greatly depending on where people live. Americans with the shortest life spans were clustered in northern Texas, Appalachia and the South. They lived the longest in the northern Plains, the Pacific coast region and the Eastern Seaboard, the study said.

Where republicans reign, women die.

The FBI is looking at former Harris County finance chief

Either way look to at the facts, Edwin Harrison was a bad finance chief to say the very least.

The FBI is investigating former Harris County finance chief Edwin Harrison and investments he made that allegedly resulted in $1.14 million in overpayments to two brokers involved in dozens of questionable trades since 2005, officials said Thursday.

A Houston Chronicle analysis revealed last month that Harrison had funneled roughly half of $7.3 billion in county investments from 2008 through last fall to two traders with Morgan Stanley and UBS, even as they consistently charged higher prices than competitors.

Sure, there are chemicals in your H2O. But, don't worry.

Water Department officials met Thursday with residents to lay out the results of an annual study of organic and inorganic compounds found in Corpus Christi drinking water.

According to the study, all levels of contaminants were well below the maximum allowed by the state and federal government, with most samples having only trace chemicals at one part-per-million or less. That's about equal to a packet of sweetener emptied into 250 gallons of iced tea, according to the city's report.

Sounds a lot better than the water near the fracking operations.