Texas Tribune Festival Sept 21-23

August 14, 2023

This ought to be very interesting!

From the Texas Tribune About page:
Venture capitalist John Thornton founded The Texas Tribune and provided its initial $1 million in funding in 2008. Evan Smith joined as co-founder and CEO with Ross Ramsey serving as co-founder and executive editor, and the Tribune launched on election night of 2009. Today, the Tribune is recognized as a leader in digital-first journalism as well as a national role model for sustainability. In 2022, Thornton retired from the board, and Smith and Ramsey retired from the staff. Sonal Shah began as Tribune CEO in January 2023. Smith remains a senior adviser to the Tribune.

The Tribune Festival will be held in Austin and has a slew of interesting speakers as well as a couple of douches including Ted Cruz. Speakers include Katie Couric, James Carville, Karl Rove (yes, Karl Rove), Congressman Colin Alred, Jake Tapper from CNN and many others.

Should be a very interesting weekend. You can find detailed information here.


CCISD must vote on allowing teachers to carry guns

June 29, 2023

“The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”

Tell that to the parents of the kids killed in Uvalde. You have to be a complete moron to believe that stupidity especially after over 180 well armed, well trained, good guys with guns sat and listened to the shooter kill 19 children.

Well the morons in Austin has just approved a bill that would put more guns in school, allowing teachers to carry hand guns and getting paid to do so! The bill allocated $325 million for school safety, fortifying schools just short of building a brick wall around every campus but it does nothing to keep guns out of the hands of a bad guy.

According to testimony during the last CCISD board meetings parents called on the Board to reject arming teachers as an alternative to hiring security guards. The bill requires every school to have an armed guard paid for by our tax dollars, which could include a private security personnel, or to allow teachers to carry and to get a $25,000 stipend. What could possibly go wrong? From comments at the Board:

One thing that I cannot wrap my head around is the sudden “trust” in teachers. Where over the past few years we have witnessed a concerted effort to vilify and demean these educators. Across the country and across the state of Texas, we have had parents, school board members and elected officials, casting aspersions on our teachers, fostering a lack of faith in their abilities. And now these same people want to arm them? These highly trained educators, proficient in their fields, are not trusted enough to carefully choose a book, but are somehow trusted enough to carry a gun. Make that make sense.

If you think this will stop a bad guy with a gun from shooting your kids during recess, or when being dropped off, or exiting the bus, or practicing band in the parking lot, or practicing on the football field then maybe you should go look at your kids school. Also this $325 Million expenditure will not protect your kids at school, church, concert, parades, or Walmarts.


CCISD must vote on allowing religious indoctrination of students

June 28, 2023

OMG. Where are the “Save the children” people?

Senate Bill 763, filed by our own State Senator “Money” Mayes Middleton, will require CCISD to vote on allowing chaplains to provide counseling services to students. The analysis of this bill says the cost of these chaplains, to help the guidance counselors, will be paid with funds allocated for school safety.

So instead of tackling the real source of the problem concerning school safety, they are going to put a volunteer, unemployed, chaplain that can provide spiritual guidance even though they have no training in guidance counseling or any degree that is not based upon a book of fables. What could possibly go wrong?

The vote must come within 6 months of when the bill will take effect, September 1, 2023. The ACLU has filed suit to stop this stupidity. BTW every common sense gun bill failed including restricting the open carry of assault weapons at protests, parades, and outdoor gatherings. Raising the age to 21 from 18 to purchase a military assault weapon also failed as well as closing the gun show loop hole, safe storage of guns, etc etc etc. They all failed yet the easy access to guns is the real source of the problem.

I can’t wait for the first Rabbi, Dalai Lama, or Imam, is assigned to John F. Ward and watch the religious, wingers go nuts. Praise the lord.


Senator Money Mayes Middleton protecting kids from violence? (not quite)

June 7, 2023

Senator Middleton broke his arm patting himself on the back claiming he is protecting our precious children in. He isn’t.

In an email to some of his constituents Money Mayes Middleton said:

“The number 1 cause of death of children in Texas is gun violence and I am proud that I filed and passed bills that would restrict access to military style guns, ban open carry, and require common sense reforms to gun ownership.”

LOL. He didn’t say that. Instead he said:

“This session, we prioritized protecting our precious children from things they should never be exposed to. I was proud to co-sponsor legislation, House Bill 900 by Representative Patterson, that bans sexually explicit books in our schools and sets strict new library standards to make sure children aren’t exposed to sexually explicit materials. We also passed the bill to protect children from sexually oriented performances and drag shows.”

Yes. Books. The number 1 cause of death of children in Texas is books. And drag queens. I don’t remember a drag queen killing 19 children in Uvalde, or 8 high school kids in Santa Fe, or 27 christians in Sutherland. I can’t remember when a child was assaulted with a book leading to their death.

If you think your kids are any safer after Middleton’s bills, you might want to think again or better yet just think. Nothing has changed. Your kids and family has just as much chance of getting shot at schools, Walmarts, parades, concerts, clubs, restaurants, and anywhere in the public as they did before the Legislation session started. Middleton is full of crap.

And Middleton isn’t going to do a thing about it. Not even offer worthless thoughts and prayers.


AR15s allowed at Friendswood 4th of July parade and celebration

May 31, 2023

No Place but Texas. And Friendswood.

The city of Friendswood was asked if open carry of assault rifles is allowed on parade floats and at the celebration in the park. From the email exchange:

Question: Since Texas is an open carry state, will float entries be allowed to open carry guns? Will attendees to the park event be able to open carry? Will there be any restrictions to the rights of gun owners participating in the parade or park event?
Response: there are no restrictions other than those set forth by the State of Texas in regards to open carry.

According to tml.org:

The state has no licensing scheme for long guns. Because state law does not prohibit the carrying of a rifle or shotgun in a public place, a person is generally allowed to carry those weapons in public in Texas.

So you could expect to see a float with elected officials, gun owners dressed up like cartel members or GI Joe, and carrying assault rifles, hand guns, and NRA flags. You could expect to see them on the sidewalks behind you as you watch the gun floats. You can expect them at the celebration in the park throughout the day. Just because someone is carrying a load AR15 under their trench coat doesn’t mean you should be scared shitless.

Remember. What could possibly go wrong with assault weapons at a 4th of July parade and celebration?


Texas Republican pass modified ten commandments bill

May 28, 2023

Praise the lord?

Texas Republicans attempted to pass a bill requiring all public schools to post the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Unfortunately the bill stalled because various factions of Christians couldn’t decide which version of the ten commandments should be posted. The leader of the Catholic Caucus had this to say:

“Since Catholics are the largest group within the Christians faith we should be the deciding organization to determine which version of the commandments should be posted.”

The bill stalled until late last night when Democrats broke ranks and offered a compromise. According to State Representative S.A. Tan, “We have offered a compromise that not only will pass constitutional challenges, it will adequately reflect the true values of the Republican Party. With this compromise children in schools will know how to avoid being a dick.” The ten commandments that will be posted are:

  • Thou shall not steal
  • Thou shall not lie every fuckin day
  • Thou shall not pork a porn star
  • Thou shall not have affairs
  • Thou shall not have sex with interns
  • Thou shall not send dick pics to interns
  • Thou shall not be impeached
  • Thou shall not ban assault weapons
  • Thou shall not be like Ted Cruz
  • Thou shall not be a hypocrite

Praise the lord and welcome to Satire Sunday.


The Texas GOP: Liars. Hypocrites. Cowards. Drunk on the House floor.

May 26, 2023

Just when you think the republicans can’t go any lower….they do.

Lone Star Left broke the story about republican elected officials on the House floor “legislating while inebriated”…..and they have video…..official House video. The inebriated included the Speaker of the House, Dade Phelan which resulted in a call for him to resign….by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, possibly the most crooked AG in Texas history since AG Dan Morales. Morales served 3.5 years in prison for conspiracy and using political money for private purposes.

In a tit for tat, the House Republicans responded by filing articles of impeachment which includes bribery, fraud, stealing funds, misuse of office, and unethical conduct. Ken Paxton did everything the Republican Party stands for including adultery.

So here we have the “Party of Lincoln” that relies on telling lies, over and over, again. They are a united group of cowards who won’t get off their knees to the NRA. They are so hypocritical the Society of Hypocrites of Texas (SHIT) has filed suit for defamation of character. They have expelled one of their own for having sex with an intern yet turn a blind eye to those who send dick pics, or those who commit adultery, or those driving while intoxicated. They tolerate racist comments. They mock law and order. They love being mean, hateful christians. They cheat. They lie. They steal. They drink.

This isn’t the party of Lincoln. It’s just a drunk party.


Uvalde Texas. The end of thoughts and prayers

May 24, 2023

Offering thoughts and prayers is the least you can do on the anniversary of the Uvalde massacre. Literally.

Maybe you have noticed our cowards in the Texas Legislature stopped offering thoughts and prayers after being criticized for doing nothing but offering thoughts and prayers after the Sante Fe shooting. That is all they did. It is literally the least you can do after a mass shooting. There is nothing that takes less effort, intelligence, or courage than offering thoughts and prayers. It’s not like they are actually thinking about the kids or praying for their families or those who will be in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives.

But it is worse. After the Sante Fe shooting, they thought, prayed, then passed permit less carry allowing anyone to open carry a loaded assault weapon without training or a permit. After Uvalde they then blamed mental health for the massacre. Let’s admit it. They are right. If you are in an elected position to do something to end or curb gun violence after 19 children were slaughtered and you dont, then yes you are mentally ill. A truly sick, immoral, human being.

On this day, a year after Uvalde, don’t be a coward. Don’t offer thoughts and prayers. Do something.


May 24. Clear Lake Vigil for the Uvalde families.

May 21, 2023

Take a moment out of your busy lives to remember those in Uvalde Texas lost to senseless and preventable violence.

Clear Lake Park 5001 Nasa Pkwy

Seabrook, TX 77586

Wednesday, May 24, 7:00 PM

Sponsored by Moms Demand Action. RSVP here. Join Bay Area Moms Demand Action volunteers as we honor the 21 victims of Uvalde who lost their lives to gun violence one year ago. We will hold an informal vigil at Clear Lake Park. Enter the parking lot off of Clear Lake Park Road. We will meet behind the large covered pavilion, near the water. You are welcome to wear you red shirt if you have one.


A new low: Texas elected officials a no show at the Sante Fe Memorial ceremony

May 19, 2023

There is no bottom to the Republican Party. Rotten bastards.

After the shooting at Sante Fe high school which claimed the lives of 8 students and 2 teachers, elected officials across the area attended the new conference to offer thoughts and prayers and blame the shootings on everything but their lack of courage to address the gun violence issue. Texas sized cowards such as Ted Cruz, Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick and others attended. Greg Abbott told the press:

“We need to do more than just pray for the victims and their families. It’s time in Texas that we take action to step up and make sure this tragedy is never repeated ever again.”

That was the last time Abbott or any elected official offered thoughts and prayers for gun violence victims. Two years later he signed a gun sanctuary bill and permit less carry bill and, as predicted, another mass shooting occurred this time taking the lives of 19 nine year old kids at an elementary school.

Yesterday they unveiled a memorial for those killed at Santa Fe. The cowards of the Republican Party including Abbott, Patrick, Cruz, Senator Money Mayes Middleton, State Representative Terri Leo-Wilson, and State Representative Dennis Paul didn’t have the balls to show up and offer whatever worthless offers they can come up with.

They probably were afraid that one of the parents would have slapped the living shit out of them.

Or worse.