Comment on "Den of Rats" from Original Texan: God...

First off, I think you are being a tad stereotypical..."One issue is that they tend to live in places like old warehouses and shacks that are rented out for next to nothing while not first acquiring basic means of sanitation like plumbing, or proper facilities for keeping up personal high gene, such as a place to take a bath, nor do I reckon that they have the decent desire to take baths." Seriously, who gives a s#%t? Atleast these "rats" are paying their bills, even if they are marginal payments(Why would that matter?). Secondly, if someone wants to be filthy then that is their prerogative. If they are paying their bills and acting in accordance with the law, then stink on my friends, stink on..It is my opinion that, if anyone needs to relocate, it is the people whom are holding up "need money" signs at every other stoplight in Austin(the homeless). They are the "useless slovenly rats" you were talking about..hahah J/K.. That sounds a bit harsh, but Austin's homeless population has grown immensely over the past 10 years..It's irritating..And as for the "hip cafes" and clothing stores you abhor, they are exactly what this city needs more of..More LOCAL businesses PLEASE! Would you prefer another Wallmart? I think that you have a false perception of artists, excuse me, "hippies."
Take Care Hombre-

Protect Austin's Greenbelts!!

Having grown up hiking and swimming in the Bull Creek greenbelt of northwest Austin, I have developed a deep love for the Texas hill country. Over the past 20 years Austin has experienced rampant growth and it has taken a serious toll on the environment. Bull Creek currently exhibits bacteria levels that exceed State of Texas water quality standards for parks."..the most likely source of the impairment is recreational use of the park; specifically, off-leash dogs within the park that are entering the water, functioning as a vector for dog excrement in the park and/or agitating potentially contaminated bottom sediments." It is very sad, what was once a beautiful swimming hole is now a cesspool of dog terds and diapers. Unfortunately, there are many other locations in the city facing a similar fate. Like Shoal Creek...Have you caught wind of Shoal Creek lately? It's repulsive.. The list goes on.. I understand that Austin is a very desireable place to live and there is money to be made, but I wish that the city and local developers would care a little more about preserving Austin's lakes, rivers, woods, etc..(Ok who am I kidding? Developers will never give a s&#%, most are from California anyways). One of the great features of Austin is it's natural beauty and as a city we need to showcase this more. I would like to see legislation enacted in Austin that ensures selected parts of Austin will never be developed on. We need more state funding for the protection and preservation of the environment. More hill country, less apartments!

Re: Can You Multitask?

I could not agree with you more Kimosabi..I was recently sitting at a stoplight on Parmer, when out of nowhere, this behemoth of a woman on a cell phone rearended me at a speed of what felt like 50 m.p.h. Even though I often use my cell phone while driving, after such an experience, I would greatly support an Austin ordinance that prohibits cell phone use while operating a motor vehicle. It would no doubt have a positive impact on Austin's traffic. A study released this pass May by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonpartisan public policy institute in California, revealed that California's new hand held cell phone ban is saving 300 lives each year."What the numbers show is that hands free laws clearly reduce fatalities in bad weather and on wet roads between 30 and 60 percent, but surprisingly in good driving conditions the ban didn't seem to have much affect. In California, where 4,000 people die in traffic accidents each year, the life savings equaled 300." For the record, it was bright and sunny when I was rearended...

Texas Should Legalize Marijuana. Shazamm.

Though I tend to be conservative on many issues, one issue I strongly believe in is the legalization of marijuana in Texas. First off, why not? The last I checked, hundreds of thousands of people are dying each year in the U.S. from tobacco and alcohol use, Not Marijuana! In fact, noone is dying from smoking buda. Now I am not going to sit here and try to argue "marijuana isn't bad for you...It doesn't have negative effects, it doesn't make you lazy..." No way. I absolutely acknowledge the fact that smoking marijuana does inhibit your personality in one way or another. With that said, I also believe marijuana is one of the safer recreational drugs out there, as the numbers clearly show. Not to mention that marijuana actually has medical benefits; is a treatment for cancer, glaucoma, etc.. In analyzing the numbers, it seems absurd that marijuana would be illegal before tobacco and alcohol. Then why? "Traditions of men"...(that's my only explanation for the lunacy)...If legalized and taxed, marijuana would produce massive revenues for the state of Texas. Just think of how many marijuana fields we could fit in west Texas..Those massive revenues, combined with the money that the state wouldn't be spending on locking up all these petty ganga smokers and dealers, Texas would be sitting pretty...This current war on drugs isn't stopping anyone from smoking or dealing marijuana..By legalizing it, we could atleast get rid of one of the two by putting local pot dealers out of business..Many of whom are living off their pot dealing profits and never paying their taxes.
So, hopefully one day Texas and the rest of the United States will wake up to this great economic opportunity and legalize marijuana!!!

Let's Stop these drug cartels!

This blog by Texas Fred, http://texasfred.net/archives/2561, is dead-on. The main topic of this blog is the pitiful excuse for a national border that is the U.S. border, and the growing epidemic that is Mexico's drug cartels crossing the U.S. and having it their way. "Their way," includes the spreading of harmful drugs, murder, kidnapping, and all kinds of heinous acts inside the U.S. These drug cartels need to be dealt with immediately, and Texas Fred puts it best when he describes how we should go about dealing with those who attempt to cross our borders illegally.."ClOSE the border, place armed troops along the border, give those troops the authority to stop this invasion, by any means necessary, even if that includes shooting and killing ANYTHING and/or ANYONE that crosses our border at anything other than a LEGAL border crossing." Right-on Fred... Texas Fred believes that the reason that these drug cartels are even an issue for the U.S. is that our government allows them to be. "If our government was serious about stopping the flow of drugs and ILLEGALS we would have Coast Guard cutters actively patrolling the Gulf of Mexico and both coasts of this nation, in great numbers, and they would be authorized to SINK any and ALL vessels caught in the act of smuggling drugs or any other contraband."...Another reason why these drug cartels will continue to reign is that there is too much corruption amid those in power..These drug cartels have way too much money, and there is too many corrupt officials willing to turn their cheek for the right price..Disgusting..

pshhh..Jasper, Tx.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/special/jasper/reaction/198838.html
I just realized this article is from 1999...
In this article, the author talks about the his belief that a race war between blacks and whites is a real possibility in this country. He points to recent publicized hate crimes and racial conflicts to be ominous signs of what is to come. As in Texas, "two groups of black militants -- some brandishing shotguns and rifles -- are in Jasper, loudly warning of dire consequences if the judge and jury don't deliver what they see as justice" for the James Byrd slaying. The author of this article, Carl T. Rowan, believes that many blacks and whites lack restraint and intelligence, "so serious trouble could be just a provocation away." I disagree...Having previously written The Coming Race War in America, which predicts that armed hate groups will "take America back for the white man," Rowan appears to be desperately searching for racial incidents to support his claims. While I am well aware of the racism that exists all over the United States, I don't believe that any race wars will be prevalent in the future. Though the civil rights movement was merely fifty years ago, I believe that overall as a nation we have become much more accepting of various races, religions, and beliefs that make up our country. I believe that as the old racists of this country die off there will be fewer hate crimes occurring. In current day America, public schooling enables kids of all races to interact and develop relationships early on. As time goes on, kids will be more and more accustomed to being around other races, and the harsh realities of the past will seem more and more distant.

I don't get it..

I recommend that ya'll check this article out and form your own opinions on it, it's quite mind-boggling. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/091208dnmetfarmersbranch.6d75e6b8.html Last week in Farmers Branch, Tx, a judge issued a temporary restraining order which prevents the city from implementing a recent ordinance aimed at stopping housing rentals to illegal immigrants. Under this ordinance, a city occupancy license must be obtained by home and apartment renters, which the city then checks to confirm that they are here legally. If they aren't here legally, the license will be revoked and they could be evicted. The judge fears that the ordinance would cause irreparable harm to apartment complexes by repelling prospective business. The judge's order prevents implementation of the ordinance until a hearing is held on a preliminary injunction. Mayor Tim O'Hare disagreed with the ruling, adding "I think the will of the people of Farmers Branch is not being carried out," he said. "I think you'll ultimately see this matter resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court."
This is rediculous...What better way to encourage illegal immigration than by restraining our laws aimed at elliminating the harboring of illegal immigrants(thats what this is all about)..This ordinance should be enacted, and apartment complexes that don't abide by it need to be punished...Where's the nationalism?