Texas Taxpayers Paying for Perry’s Temporary Home

Here again is another example of out tax dollars at work. Mrs. and Governor G.Q. will be staying in a temporary leased home while their own 150 year-old home is having a makeover. The cost? $9900 a month – yes a month – for at least a year. The 6,386 square foot home in a posh west Austin neighborhood has been listed on the market for more than a year, with the most recent asking price $1.85 million. Move in will be next month.

Wait! There’s more!

The home with “luxurious Texas styling” sits on 3.25 acres and has pecan hardwood floors, a gourmet kitchen with marble countertops and another kitchen outside by the pool. It includes a subzero refrigerator, a balcony and a third-story attic converted to a game room. A separate guest house will be used as staff quarters.

Funny how it seems that Perry is never even around to need this type of luxury but I guess we have to make the little woman happy huh?

Bush Administration Considers Cyberwar Agency

A few weeks ago the Pentagon confirmed that part of the Department of Defense’s email system was compromised by hackers. Most shocking was the fact Defense Secretary Robert Gates had his name on the list of hacked emails. The DoD would not formally accuse the Chinese government of being the hackers, but Washington has began initiatives to step up security in cyberworld.

The Bush administration is considering the creation of a new agency that will focus on the security and protection of government computers and programs. The agency would also help private companies and public utilities prevent computer attacks and hacking.

How big is the threat against the U.S.’s government computers?

According to Brian Ross and Vic Walter at ABC News,

“Internet security companies, such as Akamai in Boston, are currently tracking thousands of attacks against the U.S. government and corporate computer systems every day…”We would not be in a good situation if we were to enter a cyberwar today,” Akamai co-founder and chief scientist Tom Leighton said.“

They also include in their report, “On most days, the single biggest source of those attacks is China…A Chinese general has talked about how they would reach out through cyberspace and turn off the American electric power grid before any conflict with the United States,” said Dick Clarke, a former White House counterterrorism official and now ABC News consultant.”

Sound like an episode from 24? I don’t know about you but I think this is some really scary stuff and this is actually one proposal that I’m going to support the Bush administration on.

For the complete story from ABC News, read here. The report also includes a video from World News Tonight which you can watch here.

The Ignorance Of Houston

Yesterday the University of St. Thomas in Houston (UST) was on the front page of the Houston Chronicle. The story reported on the dedication of the new monument that stands in front of the private university. UST is a Catholic university on private property. I do have some qualms with the Chronicle article and those individuals that felt worthy of leaving comments at the end of the article. Now I am not Catholic (I’m an Episcopalian a.k.a. Diet Catholic) but I do attend UST.

My first gripe is about the lack of pictures within the article. (Funny as while I’m writing this, the story has been removed from the front page and is now under the Houston & Texas section.) Out of the four pictures that the Chronicle has included within their article, only ONE shows the actual monument, and it was a poor picture at that. The other three picture have those individuals included in the dedication ceremony such as the President of UST Bob Ivany, the widow of Edward P. White whom the plaque is named after, the creator of the memorial plaque, and Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Fiorenza.

The second issue: why was the title of the article changed? When I first read it, the title was something in the lines of “New University of St. Thomas Monument Marks the Gateway to the Museum District.” Why is it now boring and plain? It now reads “New Monument Dedicated at St. Thomas Campus.” Was it the ton of comments from ignorant readers on the newspaper’s website that created the change? This leads me to the comments.

Readers are allowed to leave comments at the end of this article. Here is where the true ignorance of Houston comes out in full force. I’m all for free speech but for God’s sake people, try not to sound so stupid.

Here are a few examples:

Husserl:

The University of Saint Thomas has done a fantastic job of improving it campus. Generally, it is a beautiful asset to the Montrose area. However, I question the design of this small plaza. The name of the institution is almost totally hidden by the giant cross. I do not think the cross needs to be so gigantic to get the point across, and I certainly do not like the idea of having crosses on the city street signs at Alabama @ Montrose. I truly respect St. Thomas as a catholic university. I just wish they would in turn respect me as a tax-paying non-christian.

Ok, I agree with you that you cannot see the University’s name behind the cross but respect you as a tax-paying non-christian? And what point are they trying to get across? Does the name University of ST THOMAS put up a lightbulb that it may be a Catholic university? This was not the idea behind the cross on the monument. What does being a tax paying non-chrisitian have anything to do with this monument being on private property?

Here’s another:

Antibios:

I agree with Husserl. I live in Montrose and I dont want to see a huge cross a few blocks from my house. Not everyone in the world are Christians.

No, and not everyone is a hypocritical, close-minded, non-educated individual such as yourself. Have some tolerance – after all, YOU LIVE IN MONTROSE! Does the Greek Orthodox Church down the street bother you too? How about the Valero gas station where I have seen people numerous times shooting up illegal drugs. (And for the record, I don’t know for sure that they are illegal but seeing that I watched one guy pass out right afterward…go figure.)

gracylue:

Ummm – they own the land it sits on. They can put anything they want there, just like you could put up a giant statue of Satan or Homer Simpson or whatever else you want to put up if you owned the property. How is that disrespecting you? ,

And about not wanting to look at a cross in Montrose (couple of comments down), I had to look at trannies, homeless folks, people walking half naked down the street, beer bottles, dumb hipster teenagers, and street kids every day when I lived in the Montrose. Should I have just told them to go away? Freedom of expression goes both ways.

Amen gracylue! For those of you that aren’t familiar with the university area, it is in a part of Houston (Montrose Blvd most famously) that is considered the “gay” district with high crime. There are rainbow flags outside of adult shops and bars and at any moment you may be fascinated with the spectacles of adult toys and posters in the windows along the street. This is also an area where I thought I would become a statistic – a man tried to attack me through my window last term because he didn’t want to let cars merge into his lane. That story for another day.

One last one:

hou_lemme:

I’m just still cracked up by STU being so desperate to be affiliated with a district a mile down the road, they put up a cross and name it “The Gateway to the Museum District”…Bawhahahahahaha….what kind of idiot would hang a sign in their own community and proclaim some allegiance to the next community over? F-U Montrose, we’re with the museum boys…STU you are in Montrose…if you want to become a member of the museum district…build a mile long mile of museums from you to Bissonett!

hou_lemme – you just lost me with your babbeling. As for ignorance, if you aren’t sure about the topic in which you are writing about, don’t risk looking like a dimwit. STU (St. Thomas University) is in Florida, not in Houston, Texas.

This just proves my point: comments after an article actually decreases the mentality of the readers. Save the comments for the old fashioned type – the ones we used to send to the editor in the old days.

If you would like to take a tour of the University of St. Thomas, visit here.

Welcome Dictators! Introducing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Adolf Hitler

Today is the day of controversy in New York. The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has arrived in New York amongst a ton of outcries and anger. First he wanted to tour Ground Zero which thank GOD the city of NY told him no, but now he has been invited to speak at Columbia University. The Dean at Comlubia U. said that he will be allowed to use freedom of speech here in hopes that he would do the same back in his country. Yeah….right….

The Dean also said that if Adolf Hitler were still be-bopping around, he would be invited to speak to. Ok, he didn’t say it in exactly those words but you get my drift. Why don’t you just invite Osama, Saddam, and Satan himself.

Many students are ticked off as would be imagined.

From the NY Daily News:

“It’s a stain on the university,” said sophomore Elizabeth Friess, 20. “You can’t have an open debate with someone who wants to wipe out Israel. There is no reasoning with someone like that.”

…

“It was offensive to hear a dean, of all people, say they would invite Hitler,” said senior Lexi Khan, 21. “There aren’t too many educational qualities you can draw from a man who sent people to gas chambers.

This man is trash and a egotistical warmonger. America prides itself so much on the home of the free and the brave; however, this individual is allowed to be on a university campus to use OUR freedom of speech. Last time I checked, we did not have a dictatorship in America and people from war driven countries such as Iran do not have freedom of speech here.

On the other side though, (yes, I’m trying to be diplomatic which is very difficult in this situation) I’ll be waiting for the questions to start rolling toward Ahmadinejad and see just how calm and responsive he’ll be. I only hope that the Dean will use this opportunity to get Ahmadinejad in a corner and pelt him with questions that Americans would like to hear answers for.

From the story from the NY Daily News, read here.

Here is a clip from Fox News about Ahmadinejad’s visit today.

Bush Declares Mandela Dead

Oh yes, <shakes head> he did.

In a press conference on Thursday, President Bush was defending the administration’s Iraq policy when he blundered once again:

“…Now where’s Mandela? Well, Mandela is dead because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas.”

WHAT?

Then he goes on saying some kind of confusing and rambling statement about Saddam being a tyrant and something about hard work. By the way, I love how he talks about getting a “B” in Econ 101 but an “A” in keeping taxes low and being “fisky” responsible with the peoples’ money. Ah jeez…. Is he hitting the sauce again???

“Connie is the Ph.D. and I’m the “C” student.”

He also replies to a question about MoveOn.org and their statements about General Petraeus. He calls their insinuations “disgusting.” I can agree with him on this one.

As for Mandela, the Mandela Foundation released a statement shortly after that Nelson Mandela is indeed still alive.

Do you ever just sit back and wonder what other countries think of our leader? As I quote Bart Simpson, “Aye carumba.”

I’m off to go pop some aspirin after this one.

Read the story from Reuters here and then watch the video for yourself.

Bush Threatens Veto of Childrens’ Health Care Bill

Yesterday President Bush threatened to veto a bill presented by the Democrats that would increase health care coverage to an additional 4 million children. The bill, if passed, would raise the certain taxes including the cigarette tax up 61 cents a pack. Bush says no way and will veto if the bill lands on his desk. Is he a possible closet smoker? Seriously…there are too many children in this country that are still being left out when it comes to health care, especially in lower class families. The arguement from the Republicans is that this will bring about even more government-ran health care.

Read the story here from CNN.com.

What do you think?

I know where Pink stands on her feelings about our esteemed president…

“DEAR MR. PRESIDENT” by Pink

Presidential Energy Debate Coming To Houston

The top four candidates from each party will be coming to Houston in November for a discussion focusing on energy. The discussion, dubbed the energy summit, will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center on November 13th. The summit will be open to the public (limited seating) and televised nationally.

Houston hasn’t hosted a presidential debate since 1980. George Bush and Ronald Regan were on the stage then.

As much as I would like to go just for the experience, only some of the 3500 seats will be open to the public. I’m not sure how many seats there will actually be and if people will be carefully pre-selected to fill them. Hopefully our fellow Houstonians won’t embarrass our city by acting like this loon. I’m sure the tazers will be on standby.

For more information, read the story from our local CBS affiliate KHOU Channel 11.

Help Wanted: NASA Astronauts Needed!

Anyone need a job? This would be so awesome! After all, if Lisa Nowak can be an astronaut, why can’t you? NASA has announced that they are looking for 10-15 men and women to join their space program. Tuesday’s announcement became public when the job was posted on usajobs.gov. Applicants have until July 1, 2008 to apply and NASA says that a decision will be made in early 2009. You don’t have to have an engineering degree – NASA says they have a special interest in educators too! If I only was teaching by then…

Here is the actual notice from usajobs.gov:

Help Wanted: Astronauts

America needs YOU at the frontiers of space and technology!

NASA is now accepting applications for its 2009 astronaut class. The agency is looking for a few men and women who want to fulfill their dreams and be a part of the next generation of explorers.

The open positions are for astronaut candidates to train for tours of duty on the International Space Station, the largest human spacecraft ever built. It is also the site for research that will prepare NASA for future long-duration human missions to the moon and other destinations. The Constellation Program is responsible for building and operating the next-generation vehicles that will carry astronauts to the space station and the moon.

Applicants must meet physical standards and educational requirements, which include a bachelor’s degree in engineering, math or science and at least three years of experience in one of these fields.

Teaching experience, including experience at the K-12 level, is considered to be qualifying experience; therefore, educators are encouraged to apply.

The open positions require extensive travel on Earth and in space. Possible destinations may include, but are not limited to, Texas, Florida, California, Russia, Kazakhstan, the International Space Station and the moon.

Applicants should be aware that selection as an astronaut candidate does not ensure selection as an astronaut. Final selection as an astronaut will depend upon satisfactory completion of a training and evaluation period that lasts approximately two years at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Astronauts are responsible for technical duties and training at NASA when they are not training for a specific flight or conducting a mission. The duties can include scientific research, mission control communication with on-orbit crews, robotic training, spacewalk training, aircraft operations, technical design and engineering, and wilderness training.

All U.S. citizens, both civilian and military, who are qualified and super-motivated can apply for these positions. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. The deadline is July 1, 2008.

For more information please visit: http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/recruit.html

NASA HAS SPACE FOR YOU!

Houston in Top 10 of Most Congested Cities

DUH! After all, Houston is one of the largest cities in America.

A new report from the Texas Transportation Institute gives the following:

Most Congested

Metro Area	2005	1995
Los Angeles	72	71
Atlanta, Ga.	60	70
San Francisco-Oakland	60	56
Washington, D.C.	60	53
Dallas-Fort Worth	58	34
San Diego	57	35
Houston	56	32
Detroit	54	51
Orlando, Fla.	54	54
San Jose, Calif.	54	51

***

Least Congested

Metro Area	2005	1995
Brownsville, Texas	8	4
Spokane, Wash.	8	10
Akron, Ohio	10	9
Anchorage, Alaska	10	9
Corpus Christi, Texas	10	7
Rochester, N.Y.	10	7
Beaumont, Texas	11	6
Buffalo, N.Y.	11	6
Springfield, Mass.	11	10
Laredo, Texas	12	7

***

Commuters spend on average 56 hours a year in traffic jams. That’s it? My commute to class averages 45 minutes – one way, 5 days a week. Sometime that goes up to an hour or even an hour and a half. I’ve actually been stuck on I-45 South for two and half hours – on an exam day! Hmmm….guess I’m above average.

For the story about Houston Traffic Getting Worse, read here.

Apple iPhone Rebate: Gotcha!

Ouch! For those of you that just had to run out and grab up an Apple iPhone for a sickening amount of money, a rebate is waiting for you…well kind of. The technological advance in cellular phones was initially sold for around $600; however, sales were expectantly lower than anticipated. In turn, Apple dropped the price of the phones by $200 and offered buyers a $100 rebate. It now seems that Apple has flaked out a bit in regards to the rebate.

Here are Apple’s conditions in regards to the rebate:

• Rebate cannot be spent at iTunes.
• Rebate cannot be spent on Apple gift cards.
• Rebate can only be spent in Apple stores, not Apple resellers, and only at Apple stores within the U.S.
• Customers with iPhones registered to addresses outside the U.S. cannot receive the rebate.
• Only iPhones that have been activated through AT&T are eligible (unfortunate for users who unlocked their iPhones to use on T-Mobile’s network).
• The offer also only lasts until November 30th. (Better not procrastinate!)

Now aren’t you glad that you ran right out there and got this over-hyped piece of technology? Had I bought one, I’d be a little ticked off…

Goto Apple online for more information on how to get your one-hundred bucks.

Today is Constitution Day! How Much Do Teens Know About This American Document?

On September 17th, 1787, 39 men signed a document that changed our history forever. Today we celebrate this 220th anniversary throughout America in classrooms and in government. What I find extremely disheartening though is that young American teens know very little or perhaps nothing about the Constitution, what it actually says, or means for us as individuals in this nation. Are schools actively participating in this day? Are they actually mentioning this event in their classrooms?

From the AP:

A study being released Monday by a foundation that focuses on journalism and the First Amendment found that 51 percent of high school students questioned had not heard of the day when they are required by law to learn about the Constitution.

Just one in 10 students could remember how his high school marked the day last year, according to the study, paid for by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in Miami.

Recent national tests show that more students are learning the basics when it comes to history and civics, but are not rising beyond a modest competency in either subject.

Ouch! Isn’t this a subject that is just a little important? After all, schools around this nation will be participating in the Pledge Across America this afternoon. Do our children know why we have these freedoms and why we commemorate such an event? This responsibility should not be just left to the teachers but should begin in the homes of children in the U.S.

For the complete story about teens and the Constitution, read here.

Check out these other links:

National Archives’ background on Constitution Day: http://tinyurl.com/ddqhy

First Amendment survey: http://www.firstamendmentfuture.org

Constitution Day: http://www.constitutionday.us

National Constitution Center: http://www.hancock.constitutioncenter.org/constitutionday/display/MainS/Home

Hey Mom and Dad, I Got an “A” in “YouTube 101″

Pitzer College in southern California has added a new class to their curriculum. The course is “Learning From YouTube.” The course’s creator, Alexandra Juhasz, says that the focus of the course will be “to focus on the potentials and limits of digital media culture through the medium of YouTube” and says the class centers around the popular website with all of the coursework and assignments being linked to the site.”

No doubt this will be a popular class. Pitzer is a private 4-year undergraduate college but the article fails to state what level this class will be taught at. I would hope that it would be an upper division course, especially if this is a student driven course. Students can actually major in media studies.

Claremont, California’s Courier online has the story here.

It won’t be long before you see more of these classes popping up. I think I’ll go ponder over this new way of spending my son’s student financial aid and loans while I browse YouTube.

Oregon Duck Suspended For Opening a Can Of Whoop-Ass on Houston Cougar

My Oregon roots have left me cheering for the Ducks in this one…

From the Fox Channel 12 in Eugene, Oregon:

Oregon’s Duck mascot has been suspended for a game because of an altercation with the Houston Cougar in the season opener.

The Duck became upset when the Cougar imitated one of the Duck’s trademarks — push-ups for total points after each touchdown in front of the student section.Next thing you know, the Cougar was on the ground and the Duck appeared to be punching him repeatedly. The fight ended up on YouTube. Although some thought it was staged, it turns out it wasn’t and a suspension was handed down to the Duck. Because the Duck mascot is a role filled by several students, specific discipline was not disclosed.Oregon uses the Donald Duck character as its mascot under a special agreement with Disney.Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny said official representatives of the athletics department must be held to higher standards.Even the Duck. The story from MyFoxHouston makes the guy in the Houston Cougar mascot outfit sound like a pansy… “Matt Stolt is a walk-on receiver who doubles as the mascot on game day because he doesn’t suit up for games.” Stolt goes on to call the suspension “justice.” Oh dear God…Justice? This is a fight between a duck mascot and a cougar mascot for crying out loud. I also love how Fox hyped up the incident by calling it an “Attack”…what a joke. Come on Nancy, grow some bigger ones. Watch the video and how the cheerleader breaks up the “Attack.” hahahaha…..

The Family Guy and Politics

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

9/11 For Political Gain

this video has now been removed from YouTube but you can watch it HERE.

The Crawford Ranch

this video has also been removed and I will update with a link when I find it…

Relax: Humberto Has Come and Gone Already

Houston has spent the past 24 hours in awe. On my way to class yesterday morning, I heard that we had a development out in the gulf that had the possibility of turning into a tropical depression. Then at lunch time, there was talk that Humberto had turned into a tropical storm and was headed straight toward Galveston and Houston. There was fear of heavy flooding and high wind gusts.

I got home at 4:00pm, battened down the hatches and moved the cars up in the drive way in case of flooding; after all, I have been through a few of these before. The news was reporting that the Humberto was already very close to land so the chance of it turning into a hurricane was slim.

Waiting to hear rain, I fell asleep. No rain. Silence.

When I got up at 5:30am this morning, the news said Humberto was now a hurricane and heading into Louisiana. Metro Houston was spared. This just goes to show you that weather forecasters can do only that – forecast. This is the way they give a best “guess-timate” of hurricane and storm paths but overall, only mother nature knows the direct path of any weather pattern.

I heard on the news that there is one death so far. A man died as his carport fell on top of him. I’m sure we’ll hear of many others as the day goes on and as Humberto goes to visit our neighbors to the east.

Now we’re watching another development out in the Atlantic.
Hurricane season ends in November.

For more on Humberto, read this article from the Houston Chronicle.

UPDATE: FOR THE LATEST PICTURES FROM HUMBERTO, CHECK OUT

http://www.chron.com/news/photogallery/_.html (copy and paste)

if the link does not work, go to the main page of the Houston Chronicle.

Traffic is escorted westbound along Highway 87 from High Island to Gilchrist on Thursday past downed power lines damaged by Hurricane Humberto.

The White House Remembers the Events of 9/11

From the AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush, joined by his wife, the vice president, Cabinet members, White House janitors, kitchen workers and groundskeepers, somberly marked the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. They all observed a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., Tuesday—the exact moment in 2001 when terrorists slammed the first jetliner into the World Trade Center in New York.

The president stood with First Lady Laura Bush and Dick and Lynne Cheney on the South Lawn during the simple ceremony that has been repeated each year since the attack. Dressed in dark suits, the four of them bowed their heads as a member of the Honor Guard stood nearby, holding an American flag.

Bush stood sternly as the Marine band, stationed behind him on the South Portico of the White House, played “God Bless America.” Mrs. Bush then took his arm and they walked inside along with the Cheneys.

To honor the memories of those killed six years ago, all members of the White House staff were allowed to join in. On the front row of one side of the crowd stood Cabinet secretaries and other dignitaries; on the other side were kitchen workers dressed in white and janitors, groundskeepers and other blue-collar workers.

Among the scores of people in the crowd was former chief of staff Andrew Card, the one who first whispered the news to Bush on the day of the attacks.

Bush did not speak. Occasionally, the rumble of jet planes taking off and landing at nearby Reagan Washington National Airport broke the silence.

On a gray, humid day in Washington, Bush began with a prayer service at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square across from the White House.

The Rev. Luis Leon preached that each anniversary of Sept. 11 presents a dilemma—how to remember the day that changed the lives of everyone who lived through it, yet also move on with life. He said religious faiths have their differences, but they all strive for peace, love and justice.

NEVER FORGET

General Petraeus’ Report on Iraq

The horse and pony show finally got underway after audio mishaps, testy hearing members, and mouthy protesters. Even Cindy Sheehan made a brief appearance but was quickly arrested.

Of course Democrats have little positive to say. From the AP:

“General Petraeus has been tasked with stalling Congress to keep the troops in the middle of a civil war. General Petraeus has failed to give Congress an independent assessment of the Iraq war. His statement sounds like the president’s talking points,” said Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, a 2008 presidential candidate..

“Our brave American service men and women are sacrificing daily for a policy that has no end in sight. A policy of more of the same is no strategic vision, strains our military to the breaking point, and enables Iraqi leaders to dither endlessly instead of reaching a political consensus over the future of their country,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.

“No amount of sugar coating and spin can change one simply fact — four years after the president’s invasion of Iraq our troops are caught in the midst of a civil war with no end in sight, and it’s up to the US Congress to use the power of the purse to force the President to bring them home,” said Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., a longtime opponent of the war.

But Petraeus said a quick departure from Iraq would allow Al Qaeda in Iraq to regain its faltering foothold, and a premature withdrawal would leave instability in many areas that are now achieving sustainable security.

The general said the number of “security incidents” and civilian deaths in Iraq is on the decline and the number of Iraqi forces standing up to fight has increased in the last 12 weeks. He said the overall number of security incidents in the last two weeks was at the lowest levels since June 2006.

Among key points from Gen. Petraeus:

- “I wrote this testimony myself. It has not been cleared by nor shared with anyone in the Pentagon, the White House or the Congress.”

- Planned withdrawal of roughly 30,000 U.S. troops by next summer

- U.S. troops had met its military objectives “in large measure”

- About 2,000 Marines will depart Iraq later this month, beginning a draw down that would be followed in mid-December with the departure of an Army brigade numbering 3,500 to 4,000 soldiers

- “I believe that we will be able to reduce our force to the pre-surge level of brigade combat teams by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains that we’ve fought so hard to achieve“

Read the Petraeus’ Report to Congress on the Situation in Iraq here.

For a wrap-up of the today’s hearing, read the story from the AP courtesy of the Houston Chronicle.

The hearings continue Tues. at 9:30 Eastern Time. Watch it on C-SPAN.

General Petraeus To Testify Before Congress Today

General David Petraeus will testify before Congress today about troop withdrawal from Iraq. The four star general will emphasize that troop reduction be put off for another six months but will outline the timeline of the withdrawal from Iraq.

The NY Times is reporting:

The precise timing of such reductions, which would leave about 130,000 troops in Iraq, could vary, depending on conditions in the country. But the general has also said that it is too soon to present recommendations on reducing American forces below that level because the situation in Iraq is in flux. He has suggested that he wait until March to outline proposals on that question.

General Petraeus is expected to go through two days of hearings along with the American ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker. He will also discuss the progress that has been made in Iraq including the reduction of violence in Baghdad.

The NY Times also states:

A letter the general wrote to his troops on Friday outlines some of the arguments he is likely to use before Congress. The general conceded that the hope that Iraqi leaders would take advantage of the American military’s effort to tamp down violence to make political headway “has not worked out as we had hoped.” But he asserted that American forces had achieved “tactical momentum,” and stressed that American troops were forging successful alliances with local Sunni tribal leaders.

Testimony is scheduled to begin today at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Read the full story from the NY Times here. You can also watch video about this story on MSNBC.

UPDATE:

Watch the testimony live on CSPAN3

And what a great start. The microphone doesn’t work and the chairman of the Joint House Committee Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Missouri) is a jerk and in foul mood. commenting on those in the audience that are “making a disturbance.” He referred to those in the audience stating “[Those people] really piss me off” and called them “a**holes.” Wow. What a professional. Attention, your mike is on. Indiana Republican Re. Dan Burton said that he was concerned about those in the audience that may take away the focus of the General’s testimony and recommended that Rep. Skelton have those individuals removed. Skelton fired back to Burton stating that he knows what his job is and doesn’t need to be told how to handle the audience…

As the hearing began, Skelton stated, “He’s almost certainly the right man for the job in Iraq, but he’s the right person three years too late and 250,000 troops short…If we had your vision and approach, General, early on, we might not have gotten to the point where our troops are caught in the midst of brutal sectarian fighting without the Iraqi government bridging the political divides that drive the violence.

“The surge was intended to provide breathing space … while our troops are holding back the opposing team to let them make a touchdown, the Iraqis haven’t even picked up the ball,” Skelton continued…

I’ll have a wrap up of the testimony later on this afternoon. Back to the show…

The Woodlands: Breaking New Ground – One Government Body and For All

Actually a pretty interesting read from the Houston Chronicle this am. I live VERY close to The Woodlands, Texas so this particular story caught my eye.

The Woodlands, Texas will be trying a new type of governing system, that is instead of being control by multiple municipal utility districts, tax districts, and community associations it will be ran by one governing body. Exactly how this will be done or in what time frame is still in the works.

Some are calling the revision an “interesting experiment” while others are working to keep the change from happening.

From the Houston Chronicle:

Richard Murray, a government professor at the University of Houston, said it’s hard to say whether the community is making the right steps. ”We don’t have any models of anything like this,” he said. ”It’s an interesting experiment to watch from the bleachers.”

He said The Woodlands would do well as a city because it already has a good residential and commercial tax base and an image as a premier master-planned community.

If you have not been to the Woodlands, the majority of the area is very well kept and enjoyable to visit. It still has its share of crime; however, I think the active role that residents play in the way the city is ran has made The Woodlands what it is today.

On any given day, I would rather walk Market Square or take in a movie in that area because of the family-friendly atmosphere. I also admit that the more economically comfortable areas are the ones that are better well kept. The areas – let’s say “across the tracks” – need a hell of lot more work. These lower income area seemed to have been forgotten about and are generally not associated with The Woodlands’ picturesque image. These are the areas that the city needs to focus on but seem to be swept aside because they are not the most appealing to the eye and are less likely to attract tourism or business travelers. Maybe the change in how the city will be ran will help their fight? Only time will tell once this “experiment” gets underway.

Have you been to The Woodlands? Tell me what you think.

Read the complete story here.

The Woodlands CDP, Texas Statistics and Demographics (US Census 2000) here.

Bush Blunders Once Again at APEC Summit in Australia

APEC not OPEC

Australians not Austrians

Someone please help the president off the stage…

16 months and counting

Read about President Bush’s blundering during the summit here.

Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Promises

Happy Friday! I actually expected this to be funnier but she still gets props for actually taking the time to come on David Letterman.

Should We Allow Mexican Trucks in The U.S.?

This has been the big controversy this week around Houston and in other cities such as San Diego. Protesters are showing up at inspection stations throughout southern Texas and along the border. What does this do for American truck drivers? How about the free trade agreement? How safe are these trucks? Are the drivers able to speak English should they get pulled over? Many of these questions are swirling among Americans as Mexican trucking companies may soon have the opportunity to haul their cargo anywhere throughout the United States – meaning they will be allowed to cross our boarders with their vehicles. The Bush administration has approved this pilot program that if successful, could mean a revolving door to Mexico for truck drivers.

The government seems to think that the drivers from down south will abide by U.S. regulations:

From the AP:

The government says it has imposed rigorous safety protocols in the program, including drug and alcohol testing for drivers done by U.S. companies. Additionally, law enforcement officials have stepped up nationwide enforcement of a law that’s been on the books since the 1970s requiring interstate truck and bus drivers to have a basic understanding of written and spoken English.

For real? 1970’s? What about updating those books? You mean to me that these drivers will be able to communicate with a state highway officer should they get pulled over? What about if an accident occurs? Are they going to be able to communicate with others involved or emergency personnel? Don’t get me wrong, I welcome the fact that we are trying to have a better business relationship with our neighbors across the border but I think in order for them to be able to drive in the U.S., they should have to be able to pass the same oral, written, and actual driving exams (in English please) that our own citizens are required to take. Overall, I just want our roads and highways to be safe.

Read the full story from the AP here and let me know what you think.

“Walmartopia”…I’d Rather See “Xanadu”

WalMart Off-Broadway!!! Oh dear God…

From Caryn James’ review of the NYC production:

“Walmartopia,” a time-traveling musical satire about the cultish power of big corporations, is meant for an upscale audience that would never set foot in a Wal-Mart (even if there were any in New York City). Everyone gets the point, though, because Wal-Mart has become an all-purpose symbol of corporate venality, which means that this play takes its scattershot aim at the easiest of targets. Its concept — the Wal-Martization of the world — seems tired on arrival.

So you mean the upscale people of NYC would rather go see “Walmartopia” instead of “Les Miserables”, “Chicago”, or “The Lion King?” I’m not so sure about that one. Now “Xanadu” on the other hand…I’m all over that!

More on the “Walmartopia” review here.

For the rest of you Xanadu fans…this is for you (Yes kids, this is considered a pop culture classic from 1980 starring Olivia Newton-John and the late Gene Kelly… don’t you dare ask me who Gene Kelly is.)

“Xanadu” – the long version at the end of the movie

The opening song “I’m Alive” by ELO with the beautiful daughters of Zeus

George Bush: Zombies A New Threat

Keep an eye out for the zombie lurking in the rose garden…

Fred Thompson Doing It Hollywood Style

Fred Thompson enters the Presidential arena tonight! I’m staying up to watch Leno and surf his webcast…

From the AP:

Thompson will make his candidacy official in a 15-minute Webcast set to air at midnight, around the same time that he’ll be seen on the East Coast chatting with Jay Leno on a taped broadcast of NBC’s “Tonight Show.”

He’ll call attention to his bid hours earlier with a 30-second ad during the eight-man GOP debate in New Hampshire that he’s skipping.

“On the next president’s watch, our country will make decisions that will affect our lives and our families far into the future. We can’t allow ourselves to become a weaker, less prosperous and more divided nation,” Thompson says in the ad that will air on Fox News.

So although he won’t be at the Republican debate, he’ll still steal the show with his ad. I love it! Now the GOP race will get more interesting. Go Fred Go!!!

For the full story from Reuters about Fred’s announcement, read here.

Sen. Sam Brownback Give Speech To…No One

The picture speaks for itself.

Picture and the following is from the AP:

Republican presidential hopeful, U.S.,Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan. during a speech at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007.

Notice anything missing??? I think those that are in audience just happened to walk in by accident.

A College Life For Me

Yo Ho, Yo Ho A College Life For Me

Some of you have sent me email wondering where I am and why I’m not posting as often as I used to. Easy. This is my senior year at the University of St. Thomas and I have buckeled down more to focus on the 18 credit hours I’m taking.

I am not your typical college student. I got married and raised a family first. My oldest son is in his second year of college and my younger son is now a sophmore in high school. This is my time to finish up and move on to graduate school. Minus the raging college parties (ok, the occassional beer at the Poli Sci house) and late night group study sessions (only the dog and cats stay up that late with me at my house) college is everything I had hoped. Last year I learned how to balance family, work, and school. Somehow I managaed it with straight A’s and a new desire to teach at a college level.

I still find it funny that I sit among students that are 18-21 years old and who cannot name any of the four Beatles or any their albums. My classmates also don’t remember such events as Ronald Reagan or John Lennon being shot. Olivia Newton-John and Janis Joplin who? Earth, Wind, and Fire – are those pagan signs? Oh dear God…

I don’t stick out that much; I’m definately not one of the “girls” that wear low-riding jeans with tattoos and thongs showing but I tend to blend in pretty good. It’s quite obvious that I’m not 18 anymore but a lot of my fellow students are shocked that I’m older than I look, We’ll just keep the exact age a guess…

So I will be blogging from time to time when the mood strikes – especially when I find something quite humorous politically. I’ll probably be posting once or twice a week. I will do my best though to keep you laughing!

Below is a picture of my son and I last week in front of his dorm.