... much like this Texas summer.
Two Texas Commandments. 1) Thou must have central air conditioning. 2) Thine hairdryer is off-limits. Imperfect hair in a blistering Texas summer is quite excusable.
But why are we plagued, year after scorching year, with weekly highs cresting 100 F? Well, it doesn't help that Texas is by far the most prolific producer of CO2, the gas that seeps into our atmosphere and causes the natural phenomenon of global warming.
At least we're first in something, right? But wait, who else but Gov. Rick Perry (fellow Aggie, and easily impressionable) wants to further extend our smoggy lead and authorize 17 new coal-burning power plants. These power plants burn the dirtiest fuel possible and the smokestacks put not only co2 in our air, but also SO2, NOx and Mercury, which is a known contributor to birth defects and can be lethal in large quantities.
Now, a lot of Texas legislators are saying we should give TXU, a utilities compay that wants to build these plants to meet Texas' insane demand for electricity (which powers those lovely central air units) and drive down the cost of powering the power-hungry residential market. Well, that'd be great, if electric utilities were still regulated and were required to follow certain rules, especially since in these days, electricity is a necessity. But, our market is deregulated, and TXU will never be forced to lower their rates, even though they have an effective monopoly.
TXU and legislators point to the fact that they aren't even the major contributor to CO2 emissions in Texas. On-road mobile (cars, trucks and tractor/trailers) and off-road mobile (heavy machines and construction equipment) are by far the largest producers of carbon and nitrogenous emmissions. TXU says that to clean our air, those people who drive should become more responsible, like use public transit and ridesharing, or move closer to the city-center in which they work.
Right.
That sounds well and good, but TXU, your coal plants aren't exactly helping. And why on Earth is our state government so implicit, so freaking excited about these plants? Whereas, most Texans, especially those in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, are livid. Everyone should do their part to clean our air. Yes, are motorists are a bit slower to action, but dagnabit, TXU should show some corporate cooperation, some conglomeration goodwill! With all due disrespect, this is insanity!
But, there is one person that can benefit from this heinous proposal: Kinky Friedman. If the governor really, really wants those pancakes, he'll take a stand against this. He'll take a stand against corporate and government collusion. He'll be the peoples candidate for functional democracy.
So, let's hear it, Kinky. It's like a free platform, so hop on it.
12 comments:
First, that hearing was back in February. He testified for Mr. Soffar after writing an in-depth column for Texas Monthly. Get your facts straight if you're going to accuse anyone of flip-flopping. And also, who wouldn't be anti-the-wrong-guy.
What people may not know is that this person called "stopkinky" is a Texas Democrat, who, more that likely only wants to stop Kinky and probably Carole Keeton Stray-hoe as well to keep Chris Bell from screwing himself over.
If you didn't know, both Independent candidates are polling ahead of Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee Chris Bell. What does that say for Texas Dems? They're weaker than Dallas cocktails with noses in the air just as high.
So sorry, but railing against Kinky is a losing battle. I used to be a Dem, but no party holds me down!
PS. Nowhere on Kinky's website could I find the statement that Kinky is "not anti-death penalty."
So, there.
I read that stopkinky website and I think stopkinky supports Strayhorn. Anyway, that website is full of whiney liberal clap-trap.
Thanks for supporting Kinky!
It's hard to ignore someone who is so wrong, (StopKinky) but that might be the best thing to do here. Continue to support Kinky by what you are doing. I made a pledge to wear my 5 Kinky T-shirts everyday till the election, unless I'm at work. The suprising thing is, Kinky's and Bell platforms are not very different at all.
I can't say anything about this, having lived away from Tx for so long now.
But I will say, I thought it was always that hot there. I remember 114 in Dallas once. Houston is never that hot, I swear! On average it's about 10 degrees cooler than Dallas.
And tomorrow in London it will be 100. This is going to be the hottest July on record. Plus we have a water shortage.
So, let's get this straight: Kinky, a self-assessed let-it-all-hang-out politician says that he's anti-the-wrong-guy, and yet he testified that he's anti-death-penalty in the trial.
Again, he was quite familiar with Max Soffar. He had done, as I have said before, an in-depth profile of him in Texas Monthly. Kinky has always believed that we shouldn't execute people until we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, of their guilt. He was certain at the time of his testimony that Soffar was not guilty. He himself felt that Mr. Soffar did not deserve execution. At that time, being pressed with the fact that on his testimony hangs a man's life, he very well could have been anti-death-penalty, but we can only ask these questions. Months after, Angel Recindiz, the rail road murderer, was executed. DNA tests proved his guilt, yet there was no upheaval, not even from the Democrats, nor Stray-whore, nor anyone.
So, do I hold this against Kinky? No. Am I anti-death-penalty? No. I am against state-sponsored execution without proven fact.
This is not reconciliation, "stopkinky." This is a human condition, a man's life, and someone staunchly advocating to save him from an injust fate. If you can't reconcile that, we'll have to doubt your humanity.
Oh, and Liv, I can sympathize with the heat. Texas in a drought in a house without central a/c isn't a breeze (pun intended)!
I'm not sure I could vote for someone called Kinky. If he can't be arsed to get himself a proper name.......... hehe.
I don't know who these particular politicians are are but would normally be inclined to agree with Lunar as she seems the sensible sort to me, lol! I ain't so sure this time (like I have a versted interest int his election - excuse me for sticking my oar in!)
Is this kinky guy a Christian?
Richard "Kinky" Friedman is a Jew. He's a well-known Texas icon. He's a mystery novelist, most of which star a Jewish sleuth with a penchant for single-malt scotch nameed Kinky Friedman. He's a singer-songwriter and formerly frontman for the Texas Jewboys. His No. 1 is Little Jewford.
Notice a theme?
I just realised ... since both my parents left the US this summer, I won't be able to vote by whatacall it...absentee
Heck my brain is boiled and i am stuck to my recliner...
Actually I am heavily against the integration of Church and State, it's possibly the dumbest political model there is. Also it goes against everythign the founding fathers stood for. Other than that it could fly. I think Bush is a prime example of how the influence on one's personal religious agenda makes for a terrible and billious administration.
As far as posting the 10 commandments in schools and allowing time to pray, i would agree with it if I didn't know that it would probably resulty in forced pratyer and indoctirnation, including Intellignet(sic) Design. call me crazy, i just prefer an educated child to an indoctrinated one.
I only asked the Christian question because if you believe in the 10 commandments you can't support the Death penalty, it's that simple. the two are mutually exlclusive - you can't just pick and choose which elements of morality you think are important.
incidentally I am not totally against the teaching of Intelligent Design so long as it is taught alongside Evolution - that way its really easy to find out who the morons are. Kind of like a cool apptitude test. Either that or also teach Pastafarianism :
http://www.venganza.org/
Anyway - back to the point! You should all ignore me because I don't even have a vested interest here, I am just another opinionated British Person convinced of his own intellectual superiority over you lot! lol!
British superiority, Matt? That's an oxymoron! :)
'Sense of Superiority'. I never mentioned whether it was misplaced or not :p
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