The Merovingian

Tap, Tap,Tap.......

2012-01-15T22:19:00.002-06:00

Is this thing still on?
Wow, so many things have changed and so many things haven't. One of the things that hasn't is me. I am still as ornery and cantankerous. Still as chaffed at the incredible waste of resources that surround me and if anything, even madder that I used to be. These people have no plan, no clue, no personal ethics for the most part. I am still trying to decide if it is due to being evil or just being floaters who think they figured it out.
I may be back, then again, maybe no.

M.

New Treatment for Children with Swine Flu

2009-10-17T08:13:00.003-05:00

I know the World Health Organization is taking this seriously, but please......

A veterinarian for the Minnesota State Fair, Dr. Tom Hagerty, was traveling on the East Coast late Friday and said he had not heard of the test findings. Dr. Hagerty sounded surprised at the news but not alarmed, because most of the pigs, or perhaps all, that were at the state fair at the same time as a group of 4-H children who became ill were to be sent to the slaughterhouse shortly afterward.

New York Times Story

Budget Battle Heats Up from Without

2009-08-30T09:53:00.002-05:00

I like the one in the trench coat. with a mustache and little hat, it would look like Inspector Closeau from the Pink Panther movies.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." - The Merovingian

I talked to all of them

2009-07-31T16:04:00.002-05:00

A conference call would have been faster. Oh, wait! That would have been a TOMA violation.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

2009-07-30T23:34:00.002-05:00

The good Rev. came through again! Enjoy!

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Otis Powers Talks to Joe Colunga

2009-07-30T12:10:00.002-05:00

My good friend and confidant, the Rev. Tallywhacker came across this snippet and thought that maybe, just maybe, some of you folks would be interested in BISD issues at this time. Not to disappoint, I said I would post it. There may be more later.

Typical City Commission Meeting

2009-07-23T23:46:00.001-05:00

"I wonder how many of the whiners here participate in council meetings or meet with council members to express thier views." It's difficult to attend a City Council meeting and be listened to; I attended one once and had to listen to a homeless person sing Christmas carols; the citizens who spoke were ignored by council members on the dais who were busy texting, talking on their phones or working on their computers. A meeting? Without being a member of an influential neighborhood group from an influential ZIP Code? Without a campaign contribution? That's not going to happen. E-mail a councilman? No response....not even a form letter. These people live in some sort of strange Twilight Zone land where tax money is lying in the streets and the serfs are only too happy to give up more and more and more of the sweat of the brow. I live in the wrong ZIP Code and so do most of the other working taxpayers in this city. Clout isn't formalized here like it is in Chicago, but it exists. No doubt about it.
Posted on 7/23/2009 9:17:33 AM
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In Austin,Tx

Imagination gone wild?

2009-07-21T07:40:00.006-05:00

While on my daily cruise for information (without the superhero outfit, this time - it chafes), I noticed that the Imagine Brownsville plan is being rushed through the city commission under a blanket.

I wonder how many of the proposals and methods translate to VIN REG, as we seem to be getting the same kind of uncooperative bullshit when questions about the final contents of this master are asked. What are the "tweaks", and who are the tweakers and who are the tweakies? The last time I looked, the word had two meanings: 1) to make minor improvements, such as jet adjustments on a carbureted vehicle and 2) to twist someone's nose.

Does anyone remember that Dodge van that used to run around town with the "Bill Mobray sold me this lemon" painted all over it? That will be small potatoes if the final document retrenches power for the few, institutionalizes tax slavery of the public, and/or promotes someone involved with Ambiotec to be the next City Manager.

I am pretty good at reading between the lines, but only if I have some lines to read between. I want to know what is under the blanket before I pay for what may be a VIN REG line item on the bill.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" - The Merovingian

What the hell is this ONE proclaimation about?

2009-07-21T07:27:00.003-05:00

I looked at it, looked at the organization, looked at its goals.

Sending money to Africa DOESN'T WORK!

Do we not have enough poor HERE to take care of?

Can we not cure homelessness IN OUR OWN BACK YARD FIRST?

I know this is a touchy-touchy, feel good, tree-hugging, love-thy-neighbor sort of thing, BUT....

While our latest incarnation of "The Merry Band of Idiots" are running around looking to save the world, McAllen is looking for low interest loans for hotels surrounding their new convention center. Coffee break is over, so get back to work!

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." - The Merovingian

Phished from a Commissioner's email account

2009-07-19T15:59:00.006-05:00

Dear Friend,

I have heard that you are someone of integrity and can handle a sensitive matter with utmost discretion. I am the nephew of the recently deceased Minister of Entertainment for the City of Lagos Nigeria. My uncle died tragically in an airplane accident while traveling on Official Business for the city. He left my aunt destitute with many children to feed. Before he died, he was in possession of musical performance contracts worth $50,000 U.S.D (FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, USD.) I am seeking a person of your integrity with a bank account who could help transfer these contracts in return for a substantial amount of cash money. This negotiation is of the utmost secrecy and it is important that no attorneys become involved in the deal. It is important that you act quickly, as the contracts are good only for a short time. I need the following information so we can complete the deal quickly: your home phone number, bank account number and routing code, and a fax number for completing the transaction.

Regards,

Hiro Hiram

Pretty slam dunk from my perspective

2009-07-17T23:43:00.002-05:00

Dow heads higher

2009-04-13T06:55:00.002-05:00

Praise for captain after kidnapping
American was rescued by Navy team after firefight with piratesBy Josh Meyer | Tribune Washington Bureau
April 13, 2009
WASHINGTON - After days of tense negotiations, the Navy rescue of an American sea captain came in a matter of seconds Sunday when a few sniper bullets killed three Somali pirates who authorities feared were about to kill him.

The commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer Bainbridge had already received approval from President Barack Obama to attempt a rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips by force if the seafarer's life appeared to be in imminent danger after five days of captivity off the coast of Somalia.

And with the seas becoming choppier and the increasingly agitated captors pointing an automatic weapon at Phillips, Cmdr. Frank Castellano decided he had no other option. The Bainbridge skipper gave the green light, and sharpshooters on the fantail of the naval warship opened fire on the partially exposed pirates aboard the small enclosed lifeboat.

Phillips, who was bound and standing, was uninjured in the attack, said Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney, commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. He gave an account of the rescue operation and the events leading up to it in a Pentagon telephone conference from the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain on Sunday evening.

Phillips' three captors, who were armed with AK-47s and small-caliber pistols, most likely were killed instantaneously.

A fourth man who had been holding Phillips captive since the pirates failed Wednesday in their attempt to seize the Maersk Alabama was aboard the Bainbridge negotiating with the Navy at the time. He was taken into custody by U.S. authorities.

After the rescue, Phillips was whisked to safety aboard the nearby amphibious assault ship Boxer, given a routine medical evaluation and was "resting comfortably," Gortney said.

Once he was there, military officials confirmed that the soft-spoken captain had placed his own safety at risk in an effort to protect his crew, helping fight off the initial pirate attack and then later offering himself as a hostage.

"His courage is a model for all Americans," Obama said in a statement Sunday.

Asked if he had any message for a public that had been captivated by his ordeal, Phillips was self-effacing.

"I'm just the byline. The real heroes are the Navy, the SEALs, those who have brought me home," he told Maersk Line Ltd. President and CEO John Reinhart. In nearby Mombasa, Kenya, where the Maersk Alabama had arrived on Saturday without its captain, the crew erupted in celebration when news of his release came through. Two flares were fired into the air, and the ship's horn sounded. Nine crew members came to the stern, pumping their fists skyward, one of them wrapped in a U.S. flag.

"He's one of the bravest men I've ever met," one crew member shouted.

Alison McColl, a family friend, read a brief statement to reporters outside the Phillips home in Underhill, Vt., saying the captain and his wife, Andrea, had spoken by phone. "I think you can all imagine their joy, and what a happy moment that was for them," said McColl, according to the Associated Press.

This is the America that I remember. Napalming the Somali ports afterwards would have been a nice touch, though.

New Side Links

2009-04-09T02:13:00.002-05:00

I spent a few hunting the candidates sites and putting them up. If you know of more, pop me a note, or comment here. I don't need triplicate copies of notarized statements nor "Patents of Nobility" to determine if the site is legitimate. I know how to click a link and read.

Missing at this point: Robert Uresti, Arge Miller, Moses Sorola, Carlos Cisneros, Carlos Ayala

Social Censorship?

2009-04-05T18:05:00.000-05:00

Mero,

Over the last couple of days, I have written three comments to Bobby Wightman Cervantes on his blog. He chose to reject them.

First rejection
Thank you Bobby. I will be looking forward to your vote on election day.

Second rejection
Regarding your post, thanks for agreeing with me.

$900,000 would have been better spent by using $300,000 for an endowment for a scholarship program for the MPPM program. You can build a bench for the city with these future public servants. They will have real world experience with Brownsville, their home. AND it will be cost-effective. The community volunteered to serve in all those committees, why should a private firm get free money for OUR work? Bobby it might have been better had you attended more than one meeting. The rest of the money could have been saved to implement the changes or pay for repaving Iowa Street, quality of life or for that extra toilet at the sports park.

The toilet reference was a joke.

Lastest rejection
You amaze me, ol' Bobby. I write a legitimate comment on your blog on Imagine Brownsville, a comment I know you would agree with because it makes sense, and you filter it out. Fred Drew heard me talk about this two years ago and applauded, but you stick your fingers in your ears hoping I'll just go away.

Why is it so hard for you to realize that I might actually help Brownsville and force oversight? You are so filled with hate towards me that you'll ignore me. I agree with some of your more reasonable points, but you can't be objective about me and my ideas. It's a shame really. If I win, I will make a difference. Iowa Street will be one of my priorities along with the more underappreciated parts of town. I can only hope you'll come around one of these days.

What do you think about this Mero?

I need your vote this May, Mero. I hope you will honor me with it.

http://www.voteroman.com

Who is going to control all these new "fees"?

2009-03-10T00:22:00.002-05:00

At the Special Olympics , errr Special City Commission meeting tonight there was an effort to formalize the contentious $20 per hour practice fee at the Sports Park (Now why did I know I would be writing about that pig, again?). Everyone remembers that no one could recall who put it on in the first place? Well, low and behold, someone who wasn't in the blame-circle the first time around was going to be tossed the hot potato by ordinance. Of course I am speaking of Charlie Cabler. It was interesting that the language stated "or his designee", allowed him to keep the potato in the air long enough to toss it to Chris Patterson, or Tuffy (*rhymes with Scruffy) Martinez. Pretty cool deal for those sitting behind the table, raising fees and getting to blame someone else who isn't answerable to the voters. They seem to do this sort of thing a lot. We have tons of committees throwing around millions of dollars in a strange arrangement of "officer of non-profit corporation." They all have weird sounding initials, CAAC,BCIC,GBIC,BEDC,ETC (last one is not one of these committees, but I heard it was being discussed). There must have been something wrong with the proposal, because Roman Perez questioned it, and it was tabled.

Lets see how it looks the next time the potato rises into the air when it comes off the table. Could we please rename it the "Hot Potato Ordinance"?

The long and short is, I think there are FAR to many unelected people running around spending other people's tax dollars. I think this should stop.

It is about accountability.
It is about transparency.
It is about time.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Ok, here is the skinny

2009-03-10T00:11:00.003-05:00

At Large "B" : Alberto Velez, Roman Perez, Rose Zavaletta Gowen, Carlos Ayala

District 3 : Melissa Zamora, Moses Sorola, Carlos Cisneros

District 4 : Robert Uresti, Argelia Miller*, Edward Camarillo

* Signatures "iffy" by the time I left the office.

So any more speculation about "Oh, if such-and-such..." is OVER!
The Fat Lady has sung. Now we await the Fat Lady singing again.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Monday 5pm

2009-03-08T16:00:00.002-05:00

All the speculation will be over then, and the speculation can start once more. My stance is well known. Throw them all out. Throw out anyone who looks like them, is allied with them, or smells like them. Developer puppets; OUT! University puppets; OUT! Government official puppets; OUT! People whose day jobs are tax funded; OUT!

Well, that just about covers it, so who is left to run? Whoever it is, be sure I just listed your sworn enemies above.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

You Lose, We Win

2009-03-04T22:21:00.004-06:00

NUMBER 13-08-00267-CV
COURT OF APPEALS
THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
CORPUS CHRISTI - EDINBURG
In its sole issue on appeal, the City attacks the trial court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law, arguing that, as a matter of law, the City Charter does not bar City Council members from participating in the City’s health insurance plan on the same basis as the City’s full-time employees. More specifically, the City contends that: (1) chapter 172 of the local government code authorizes political subdivisions to provide health insurance to city officials on the same basis as regular employees, see TEX. LOC. GOV’T CODE ANN. §§ 172.002(6), 172.004(a) (Vernon 2008); (2) the City Charter does not set a maximum limit on compensation; (3) the City Charter only applies to monetary compensation; and (4) the City “has consistently construed the charter to allow insurance for council members on the same basis as City employees.”

The Merovingian so stipulates as to item (1); TEX. LOC GOV'T CODE does allow political subdivisions to offer such insurance to city officials.

However, the Brownsville charter significantly differs from the Corpus Christi charter as to item (2); Brownsville's charter does set maximum allowable compensation in the form of payment for service that will be compensated as follows:

Section 13. Compensation.
The mayor and city commissioners elected after the adoption of this amendment shall each receive as compensation for their services during their term of office the sum of ten dollars ($10.00) for their attendance for the full duration of each regular and special meeting; provided, however, that in no event shall they be paid for more than two regular and three special meetings in any one calendar month.

Clearly, the intent and irrefutable statement of the writer of this clause is that there is a MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE COMPENSATION which was lacking in the Corpus Christi charter, which formed the basis of Judge Garza's interpretation, as excerpted:

Mindful of the following statements made by the Texas Attorney General’s Office addressing an issue similar to the one in the present case:
If the charter sets the maximum compensation for city council members, the City may not provide additional compensation to city council members absent an amendment to the charter. See generally TEX. LOC. GOV’T CODE ANN. § 9.004 (Vernon 1999) (election to amend charter). If the charter does not set their maximum compensation, the City may provide the additional compensation without a charter amendment.

HOWEVER the Brownsville charter CLEARLY addresses limits to compensation with the words, " that in no event shall they be paid for more than "
Language that is notably absent in the Corpus Christi charter.

In any event, it is noteworthy that for over twenty years, the City has interpreted the City Charter to mean that City Council members and the Mayor were entitled to participate in the City’s health insurance plan on the same basis as the City’s full-time employees, which was within their broad discretion.

The "squatters rights argument" (i.e. long standing tradition) played a noted part in the decision, as is clearly stated above. Brownsville has no such long standing tradition, ergo any and all related argument on this basis is moot.

What is significant in the appellate decision that applies to a potential Brownsville appeal is that insurance is compensation. This applies to stipulation (3) as well and establishes that the benefits, such as insurance, are monetary compensation.

The City Charter does not provide any further clarification as to the meaning of “compensation.” The trial court, in its second conclusion of law, stated that the payment of health insurance premiums by the City constituted “compensation.”
“Compensation” has been defined as “[r]emuneration and other benefits received Although opinions from the Texas Attorney General’s Office 4 are persuasive, they are not controlling on the courts. See Commissioners Court of Titus County v. Agan, 940 S.W.2d 77, 82 (Tex. 1997) (citing Holmes v. Morales, 924 S.W.2d 920, 924 (Tex. 1996)). 5 Section 141.004 of the local government code states that the “governing body of a home-rule municipality may set the amount of compensation for each officer of the municipality.” TEX. LOC. GOV’T CODE AN N. § 141.004 (Vernon 2008). “Home-rule municipality” officials have broad discretion in exercising their powers—including decisions pertaining to compensation—limited only by the Texas Constitution, general laws, or the City’s Charter. See In re Sanchez, 81 S.W.3d 794, 796 (Tex. 2002); see also Edwards v. Murphy, 256 S.W.2d 470, 473-74 (Tex. Civ. App.–Fort Worth 1953, writ dism’d) (citing TEX. CONST. art. XI, § 5). in return for services rendered; esp. salary or wages.” BLACK’S LAW DICTIONARY 227 (7th ed. 2000); see Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. GA-0130 (2003). In applying its plain and common meaning, it is clear that the City’s payment of health insurance premiums on behalf of City Council members and the Mayor constituted “compensation” because the premiums were paid in return for services rendered by the City Council members and the Mayor. See BLACK’S LAW DICTIONARY at 227. This conclusion is in harmony with several opinions issued by the Texas Attorney General’s Office.4 See Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. GA-0130 (2003) (concluding that “‘[c]ompensation’ includes benefits, such as insurance, provided to officers and employees”); see also Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. GA-0449 (2006) (same). We therefore conclude that the trial court correctly categorized the payment of health insurance premiums as “compensation” in its second conclusion of law.

As to the possibility that this appellate court decision directly applies to a Brownsville appeal:

Moreover, we presume home-rule city charter provisions to be valid, and the courts cannot interfere unless it is unreasonable and arbitrary, amounting to a clear abuse of municipal discretion. Id. (citing City of Brookside Village v. Comeau, 633 S.W.2d 790, 792 (Tex. 1982); City of Houston v. Todd, 41 S.W.3d 289, 295 (Tex. App.–Houston [1st Dist.] 2001, pet. denied)). Because the City is a “homerule municipality,” we must focus our analysis on the City’s Charter.

This leads directly to the assertion that in any appeal of the insurance ruling (Docket #2007-03-1359-D 103rd District Court) that the Brownsville City Charter must be examined in situ and any reference to the Corpus Christi charter is again, moot.

Conclusion:

Should Mark Socci in his newfound capacity as City Attorney even sniff at an appeal of Judge Leal's proper finding of denial of insurance benefits to the Mayor and City Commissioners, he will find his legal rump paddled by a pro se friend of the court brief. I will laugh, he will be gone, and they will all still get voted out, if not recalled sooner.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

April 1st is Fast Approaching

2009-02-28T13:07:00.003-06:00

Last year's April Fools postings were very popular and I wish to continue the tradition. With the local races falling on the heels of April 1st, I am *sure* there will be a lot of material coming from there. In the meantime feel free to email my good friend and confidant, revtallywhacker@yahoo.com with any suggestions for topics that will need coverage that day.

M.

Wasn't Gilberto Hinojosa Declared Politicly Dead?

2009-02-28T12:36:00.004-06:00

If this is so, then WHY are we seeing Alberto Velez running for our City Commission?
Did Oscar the Minor not run because the U. has put up a proxy in Velez? (do I see headlights heading toward Edward Camarillo, again?)

Have we learned NOTHING in the past two election cycles? Does Rick Longoria need propping up for his run at mayor this badly? Does Carlos Cisneros need these few months on the City Commission so desperately before he makes his run at a County Commission slot?

I, for one, am truly sick of all these jokers propping each other up to maintain the status quo. There is not one scrap of vision or true concern for anything past the next election to be found in the lot.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Who Is Driving The Bus?

2009-02-28T11:59:00.002-06:00

I saw a curious sight last night. Politicos in a parade nearing election time? Naw, that is as common doggie doo on the front lawn. What I saw was a rolling billboard and driving endorsement of a revolving door that is what these idiots think that we need.

Leo Garza picked up a packet from the City Secretary. Oh well, anything to delay the appearance of being what we all know; a lame duck commissioner on a lame duck commission.

Why was Leo Garza driving Carlos Ayala in last night's parade? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Is this supposed to signify some kind of endorsement? Whose bright idea was this? It isn't going to work. Do we need MORE tax-paid people watching the tax base? The people want all this inbred hanky-panky to end.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" -The Merovingian

Annndddddd the're off!

2009-02-22T19:14:00.001-06:00

From BATB:
Melissa Zamora said...
I haven't picked up a packet, yet, but I plan to run for the At-large B seat currently held by Commissioner Leo Garza.
Sunday, February 22, 2009

7-34-4

2009-02-15T13:47:00.005-06:00

Look up at the title.

These are the numbers from the poll on incumbants standing a chance of reelection.

It reminds me of a basketball season record.
Hmmmm.... now what happens to coaches with those kind of stats?
We know. We know.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

What the hell is going on with the DA's office?

2009-02-15T13:43:00.003-06:00

We got 'em crapping on benches,
We had them playing "hide the salami" in parked cars.

Where is he finding these people, and more importantly, why is he looking there in the first place?

M.

Scientific Investigative Certainty

2009-02-04T06:22:00.003-06:00

City Manager Charlie Cabler said: "Who are we going to administer that test to? We don't have any idea how that check got to the mayor. Maybe it was done in a way that no one knows it happened."
February 3, 2009 - 7:56 PM
BY EMMA PEREZ-TREVIÑO
The Brownsville Herald

Is he saying that we have some kind of Voodoo priest in town? Is there a special candle or oil you can get at one of the downtown herbiera shops that makes paper move from a distance? I heard more sense come out of Steve Martin's mouth when he played the character "Theodoric of York" on a Saturday Night Live skit.

This whole thing reminds me of trying to get to the bottom of "Who broke that?" in the middle of a room full of three year olds.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

An ad for earmuffs

2009-01-29T14:19:00.002-06:00

As of Monday it appears Antonio Juarez had abandoned his lawsuit against BISD. Ben Neece has taken no action to obtain a TRO to prevent BISD from firing Juarez. You see, in federal court rules tend to matter a bit more than in state court. In the case of Judge Euresti Ben Neece knew Judge Euresti would sign his own death warrant - but the same cannot be said for federal Judge Andrew Hanen who will hear Juarez’s case.
From: BROWNSVILLE VOICE
AN UNBOUGHT VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY

Why is it that day after day all I am seeing is junk like this being bandied about as if it were the Brownsville Gospel? It is crap like this that is a total distraction from any and all issues at had. The latest round of "Sphincter Speak" has gotten even more than I can bear, and I am overall a pretty tolerant guy.

If you know not from whence you speak, it would be better to remain silent.
This is but a small sample of the garbage on the net from irresponsible people pushing their own agendas.

Other than factual reporting when I have information, and I feel like it, I haven't weighed in on the BISD situation. This one simply took the cake for peering into the future by staring at ones belly button. This sort of "Navel Intelligence" needs to stop.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Board Of The Strings

2008-12-23T21:51:00.003-06:00

A work of non-fiction

This is an epic tale of days of yore when magic played a part in the world, before the world was broken and changed. It was a time of fearful, living shadows that walked the Earth as men. It was a time of change. It was a time of action.

The white council met regularly to discuss pressing matters of the day and all felt that evil was kept at bay through their tireless efforts, but alas, this is not the way that evil works. Evil best achieves its goals by staying unnoticed by those who would oppose it.

There was unrest within the kingdoms and rumors of fell beasts and many unnatural things troubled the people of the lands. The One Ring was thought safe by all the members of the White Council as told to them often by Saruman the White, whom they looked to for guidance as he was most wise, and learned in Ring Lore.

As it was their custom in those days, every 26th moon, (two years in our reckoning) the Ents met at Entmoot, to make choices as to 2 or 3 members of the White Council. It was done in this way because the Ents concerned themselves not with the workings of the Council, as they were an introspective lot who trusted their choices to perform their office, while the Ents went about their daily lives with little concern for the Council or the Ring. When a “Great Turn” occurred, 4 members were chosen, as was the case in this cycle.

And lo, it came to pass that the darkness that was thought to be at bay did give sign of its creeping presence at the most recent Entmoot, when there were rumors of betrayal that darkened the deliberations and two longstanding members of the White Council fell out of favor with the Ents.

The first meeting of the newly formed Council was unlike any that had occurred within memory, as the rumors of evil troubling the lands were brought out in open Council. One of the new believed that evil had help from within. Rumors of treachery and betrayal from those closest to the Council were leveled with words of loathing and hatred. The loyal aides to the Council were prevented from lifting the veil of deceit by a spell of befuddlement cast by Saruman who had held much sway over the Council.

One of those most faithful to the mission of the Council was Aragorn, whose special service was to the Hobbits of the Shire. Elrond had enlisted him in this most special service two years prior and he had performed this difficult task, recognizing that something was amiss in the Shire. Elrond and Aragon held counsel often with Saruman, whose advice, while couched in riddles, they heeded as best they could. As time passed and the advice grew stranger, other counsel, although not binding, was sought. The guidance conflicted with that of Saruman and Elrond and Aragon did puzzle upon this, yet followed the rulings of Saruman, although within their hearts they were troubled greatly.

Aragorn did discover in his travels that Ugluk, Chieftain of the Uruk-hai had been about in the Shire, and regularly stole crops and did trouble and despoil the Shire. Bill Ferny and Harry Goatleaf were suspected by Aragorn of opening the gates at night to let Ugluk and his minions do their evil.

Aragorn and Elrond did again hold counsel with Saruman, who tried to sooth their troubled hearts and bid them keep silent for now, as all was known to Saruman and these troubles would pass. Saruman did assure them that all was in order and that even these evils, though egregious would be in the best interest of the Shire. Saruman devised a cunning plan to hide the depredations of Ugluk while appearing to allow Aragorn to carry out his special service to Elrond and the Shire.

The spell of befuddlement cast upon the members of the White Council lifted quickly from Arwen and Eowyn, as they were protected somewhat by “The Sacred Words of Truth”, with which they had been blessed at their birth. There was great destiny declared at their arrival and many white spells and incantations had been placed upon them during Entmoot.

At the meeting of the White Council inquiry was made as to happenings in the Shire and to disbursements from the treasury. Aragorn was brought before the Council, as would more befit a criminal to answer to rumors of wrongdoings in the Shire. Being a man of his word, nothing was said of the depredations of Ugluk, as had been sworn to Saureman. Much shame was heaped upon him and their hearts were hardened and his words would not be heard.

Elrond had been banished to the tower and those loyal to him were dismayed. The locks to the tower were bound with many spells cast by Saruman and again, the hearts of many of the Council were hardened to Elrond by the words and spells of Saruman as had befallen Aragon.

With Elrond imprisoned and Aragon shamed, Saruman was able to sway with fair sounding words, a majority of the Council to his will. His plans, almost complete, he could treat his doubters with contempt and arrogance.

As Arwin and Eowyn swore to find the truth of the matter and the manor of the imprisonment of one who had sworn fealty to the Council, Eomer, a rider of Rohan came to the castle. Eomer was a captain of the Roherim, loyal to Theoden by fealty, and not as a common bondsman held by promise of silver. He had seen a hooded figure having converse with Bill Fenny and Harry Goatleaf, and believing that there was evil afoot, followed the shrouded figure here. Having made inquiry, he discovered that his quary was indeed a member of the White Council. He rode swiftly back to Rohan and scribed a parchment with his findings for all the Ents to read.

The assault on Rohan was swift and terrible. Theodin, king of all the Roherim withdrew his forces as he sought counsel true upon these matters that threatened his kingdom.

What is 10 seconds?

2008-12-22T18:34:00.004-06:00

I went to meet a friend at Rudy’s Barbeque for lunch today. Hearing of the tremendous progress being made on FM802 and the project nearing completion, I decided to take it coming westbound from Highway 48. Traffic moved smoothly until I got to the Margaret Clark swimming pool, the horror story begins there.

As I crept my way towards Paredes Line road, traffic moving at an average speed of less than 1.5 miles per hour, I thought I would lose some of it turning onto Paredes. Was I wrong! From all my reading, the unnecessary highway construction was nearing completion and traffic should flow smoothly. That is fine, if your definition of smoothly is “near standstill”. Was there an accident up ahead? None could be seen from my vantage point of where the bicycle trail crosses 802 near the North side bus stop. As time wore on (and my patience wore thin), I spent the next 20 minutes slowly (that word has new meaning for me now) working my way to the split, where traffic is diverted back onto the finished section. One would have figured that the bottleneck would have opened up and traffic would have started moving smoothly. Not the new, official definition of “dead standstill”, but smoothly in sense of the common usage. As you may have gathered from my sarcastic tone, nothing could be further from the truth.

From my new perch, I could see the string of traffic lights and the entire string of cars past the mall, up to the 77 intersection. My phone rang. It was my friend asking my whereabouts. When I told him, and he said “Bad move!” I had no choice but to agree. He took my order, because time was running short. I hung up, and stared straight ahead, because it was my only option.

Studying the light timing (something the “Person in Charge”) has obviously never done, I noticed something that came as a bit of a shock (but I don’t know why); the lights were timed to concentrate standstill traffic right in front of the mall! I am not exaggerating nor pulling your leg! The timing to accomplish this monumental feat of stupidity could not have been done better to accomplish this goal had a team of NASA engineers with 3 Cray computers designed it.

When I reached Starbucks, and Bennigans was only minutes away, I called my friend back to report my relative progress. He told me that if he had to go, he would leave my lunch with the kitchen staff and give them my name. I said that I understood, as it had already been almost an hour since he called me for lunch.

About here is where I intend to skin that worthless bastard, City slug “traffic engineer”. I don’t know who it is, but he has a name. I want to see that name with the prefix of “Former employee” in front of it on Christmas Day. He, of all people deserves to be fired on Christmas Eve. He is an idiot of the lowest order and shouldn’t be breathing, let alone getting paid for a job that he evidently is not doing. I wish to write something here that would be truly libelous about that sorry excuse for a human being, just so I could defend myself in open court with the truth, while repeating my statements over and over, then repeating them on a megaphone on the courthouse steps after the case is dismissed, with prejudice. He has got to be the sorriest excuse for a traffic engineer I have ever heard of! In case this follower of the testament of Bozo lives in a total vacuum, I wish to remind him that the City spent nearly a million dollars on a study called Imagine Brownsville, whose first poll of public sentiment can be summed up as “It’s the streets, stupid!”

There is, of course, the possibility that I am wrong, and he has been simply dead at his desk with a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door for many, many months. Has anyone taken a nose count at staff meetings lately? Checking with Finance to see if he is cashing his checks would be a step I would take in a real city, but based on recent events, I think it would add further to the confusion.

Now that I have finished wailing away on this turkey, I am going to TELL you what to do. This is not a suggestion, this is a FACT: Increase the “Green light” timing on the westbound lane at FM 802 and US 77 by EXACTLY 10 seconds and the lights following at the underpass and Central Blvd intersection accordingly. I don’t want to hear any lame excuses, although hearing anything from you would be better than the buckets of silence we have suffered through. CITY COMMISSIONERS: Make the traffic department produce this idiot at a Commission meeting and ask him why he hasn’t done this. If he has a reason, it is a lie or simply something stupid he made up.

You don’t have a “traffic congestion problem” IF YOU DON’T CONGEST TRAFFIC!

By the time I arrived at Rudy’s my friend had already left, so I ate my sandwich alone and planned all afternoon what I was going to write this evening.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Sorry all, I have been busy

2008-12-14T11:29:00.003-06:00

Those of you who do know me IRL (In real life, for the non-cyber crowd) know I have been busy.

Folks, the country is going straight to hell in a hand basket. We have an imploding economy which, as usual, is taking the rest of the world with it. We have the pigs at the trough squealing for more, which is also par for the course. We have saddled ourselves with a crowd of usual suspects who do nothing, NOTHING, but protect their place at the trough. We have a justice system that deals fairly well with your everyday, ho-hum normal crimes committed by idiots, but does everything it can to circumvent the law to protect everyone at the trough. For your own protection, and that of your family's future, we have to stop putting in the usual suspects and their clowns and puppets. Period. No choice. These guys remind me so much of the way that Saddam Husein was portrayed in the movie South Park when they go around singing "I can change, I can change" that they universally make me sick.

For being a fiscal conservative (big surprise there) it is odd that I find myself identifying with the '60s radicals, and at my age, that is something in itself.

We put these people in office to SERVE, and that is why they told us they were seeking the office in the first place. It was their first big lie, and we buy into it over and over again! We put them in, then they demand that their posteriors be covered in lipstick. To hell with them all! Not ONE incumbent in ANY office should even have the gall to run again, let alone expect ANY support.

"All politics is local.", as the saying goes. We can't change the country, or expect it to change until we change what we tolerate locally.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." The Merovingian

UFOs,ETs, The Universe, and Politicians

2008-12-03T08:58:00.003-06:00

It is almost a statistical certainty that there is other life in the universe. The only thing that makes the Earth unique is that we are here to take notice of it. Whether there is sufficiently technologically advanced intelligent life, and if said life is within the timescale/distance from us to make meaningful contact is, of course, open to debate. The odds of such potential life being within some framework of parity with our own intelligence is appallingly small, not to mention the high likelihood of having no common frame of reference in order to engage in meaningful exchange. As an example, look at our marine mammals: Highly intelligent, no common frame of reference with modern man, hence no meaningful communication.

Have we been visited? I highly doubt it.

The size of the universe is unquantifiable. If one finds truth in Super String, or Super Symmetry theory then the extra dimensions involved that have shrunken to almost insignificance really gum up the works over intergalactic distances, making attempts at three dimensional measurements bogus.

On the "apparent size" issue I have looked at anomalies that would otherwise break current understandings of the age and beginnings of the universe. I am referring to astronomical oddities called "Faint Blue Objects". These show up on long exposure photographic plates and are thought to be galaxies at incredible distances from us. The problems with these objects are that they are too far away to fit current theories as to the age and expansion of the universe following the big bang. In addition, the further an object is from us, the more the visual spectrum should be shifted to the red, in keeping with the "red shift" predicted in the expanding universe.

So, are all the elegant theories as to the nature of the universe wrong? Are we surrounded with philosophy majors playing at scientist? In my mind, not really.

Einstein and others accept the curvature of space as a given. I am not personally sure which of the current theories adequately explain why, but at present I will accept that space itself is curved. If this is indeed the case, then looking "straight" out for immense distances should, in fact, be looking along the edge of a curve. Which direction it is curved, I do not know if I can comprehend, or if it can even be expressed within our three dimensions, but for the purposes of fitting observed anomalies within the framework of current theory, this is not important for now.

The repeatable, observable phenomena of the "Faint Blue Objects" would appear to me to be looking at our own backsides, billions of years in the past. The objects are blue shifted in spectrum because they are expanding toward us (or away from us, in the opposite direction, depending on how you prefer to look at it) This view doesn't break any current theories, adequately explains the apparently excessive distances that these objects exist at, the fact that they are uniformly shifted in the blue direction of the spectrum, and their density, as we are looking so far into the past.

This model implies that the universal "plane" on which we exist is much like the inside wall of an expanding balloon, if I may be allowed to compress a few dimensions into two for the purposes of explanation. We are only allowed to look along the inside wall of this balloon in any direction, as that is the plane on which we exist. As the balloon expands, every point in every direction that we observe appears to be moving away from us. So far, so good, red shift explained. If we look along one "straight line" far enough, we will see ourselves, but far distant in the past, due to the limitations on the speed of light. What we would observe is the leading edge of the expansion moving away from us in the past at the speed of the expansion of the universe, apparently heading toward us. "Faint Blue Objects" explained, no broken theories.

Where is the center of the universe? If you can accept my flattened model of three dimensional space into the two dimensions of the inside surface of an expanding balloon, then it should be obvious that the center of the universe lies in a direction that we cannot look, in a space that we have no way of perceiving. I find this personally disturbing, but I have to accept it, if I wish to remain intellectually honest with myself.

Now having thought about this for a couple of minutes, don't the petty, self-serving, self-aggrandizing, distracting, base,coarse,and just plain silly behaviors of the people that we choose as leaders fade to the insignificance they so richly deserve? Can you name a ONE that is remotely capable of following the explanation of the expanding universe that I have presented here, let alone UNDERSTANDING it?

The next time you hear the collection of baboons spouting off at the mouth and squandering whatever resources they can taint with their touch, don't become angry, simply oppose. They are stupid, one and all. I will make an exception if any one of them can intelligently discuss the matters I put forth here today, the odds of which, unfortunately are on par with having meaningful communication with an extraterrestrial intelligence.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian"

Just follow the money.....

2008-10-29T23:47:00.000-05:00

The Cameron County Democrat Party has the following receipts and expenditures for the period October 7-27, 2008:

Linebarger, Heard, Goggan, and Blair, the county tax attorney collector, has donated $2,000.
Letty Carmona has earned five different checks totaling $10,277.50 for phone banking.
Ernie Hernandez has earned $600 for operating a van. His company, Ernie’s Fiesta Graphics, has earned $258.00 for stationary. It is not the first time this year he has earned money for stationary from the Party ($116.91, $27.06, $498.00, and $504.00)

The following are some of the “contract labor” the party has hired for the general election:

Israel Araujo has collected $840.00
Natividad Araujo has collected $100.00
Veronica De Lafuente has earned $500.00 as a contract laborer and $289.37 for mileage.
Samantha Garza has collected $462.00 for contract labor.
Sylvia Garza-Perez has collected $2000.00 for contract labor on top of the other $1,000 she obtained in September. I sure hope she is reporting her wages.
Pedro Rangel has collected $83.21.
Desi Serrata collected $500.00 for contract labor in August.

Between July 15 and October 6, 2008, these following individuals have donated or pledged money for the Party. I assume their money paied for the contract labor above.

Begum Tijerina and Willis $2000.00 Attorney
Richard Burst $100.00 Attorney
Rick Canales $2500.00 Self-employed Attorney
Robert Collins of Houston $1000.00 Self, Attorney
Michael Cowen $2000.00 The Ammons Law Firm, Attorney
Helen Delgadillo $100.00 Self,Attorney
Mary Diaz $100.00 Self,Unknown
Denis Downey $500.00 Self,Attorney
Esparza & Garza LLP $500.00 Law Firm
Santiago Galarza $100.00 Self,Attorney
Esequiel Garcia $667.00 Self,Business
Jacinto Garza $1000.00 Self,Engineer
Reynaldo Garza III $100.00 Self,Attorney
Alex Grossman $150.00 Self,Businessman
Patricia Hernandez $500.00 Self employed,attorney
Hockema & Longoria of McAllen $2000.00 Law Firm
Brian Janis $100.00 Self,Attorney
Edgar Juarez $100.00 Self,Attorney
Judge Migdalia Lopez $150.00 State of Texas Judge
Magellan’s & Hinojosa $2000.00 Law Firm
Ray Marchan $1000.00 Self employed attorney
Tony Martinez $2000.00 Self Attorney
Judge Menton Murray $500.00 State of Texas Judge
Judge Bennie Ochoa $500.00 Cameron County Judge
Rene Oliveira (state rep) $1000.00 Self employed attorney
Otis Powers $250.00 Self Bookkeeper
Catalina Presas $150.00 Self Chiropractor
Gloria Rios $100.00 Retiree
Tara Rios $1150.00 Dentist
Joe Rivera $500.00 Cameron County Clerk
Hon. Richard Rodriguez $100.00 Self Attorney
Rodriguez Colvin Chaney & Saenz Llp $2000.00 Law Firm
Marc Rosenthal of Austin $2000.00 Self Attorney
Rebecca Rubane $1000.00 Self Attorney
Jaime Saenz $100.00 Self Attorney
Jesse Salinas of Mission $1000.00 TEDSI Engineer
Ruth Skaggs $100.00 Homemaker
Jim Solis $2000.00 Self employed attorney
Ignacio Torteya $1000.00 Self Attorney
Touchy and Green $3000.00 Law Firm
Trevino and Bodden $2000.00 Self Attorney
Anthony Troiani $500.00 Self Attorney
Anthony Vasquez $100.00 Self Businessman
Vidaurri Lyde Gault and Quintana $250.00 Self Attorneys
Randy Whittington $200.00 Self Attorney
Charlie Willete $2000.00 Self employed attorney
Dr. Asim Zamir $500.00 Self employed doctor
Rick Zayas $1000.00 Self Attorney

Pledged Donations:
Carlos Cisneros $250.00 Self Attorney
Costilla,Frank $2000.00 Self Attorneys
Rene De Coss $100.00 Self Attorney
Jaime Diez $1000.00 Self Attorney
Hector Garza $100.00 Self Attorney
Chester Gonzalez $500.00 Attorney, Judge Leal’s husband, TSC Trustee
Benigo Martinez $1000.00 Self Attorney
Nat Perez $100.00 Self Attorney
Rodriguez & Nicolas L.L.P. $1000.00 Law Firm
Roerig Oliveira and Fisher LLP $2000.00 Law Firm
John Shergold $100.00 Self Attorney
Rick Zayas $1000.00 Self Attorney

Strike Three!! You're outta here!

2008-10-29T23:32:00.001-05:00

The new ball park just isn't going to happen. With the all the nebulous clouds surrounding it to begin with and the addition of the weight of the economy and the Sports Park, it is doomed to a quiet death, unless any commissioners are foolish enough to shop for another partner just because they stupidly committed to spending 7 million bucks anyway. My bet is on Atkinson trying to keep this loaf on the shelf far past its expiration date. The other three can see the writing on the wall, and it isn't graffiti.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" The Merovingian

Media Hype Misleading - So what else is new?

2008-10-28T18:15:00.003-05:00

Cameron County Voter Facts and Figures
YEAR-----Reg.Voters----Voted----Voted%---Early----EV%
1988-------97,854--------55,552---56.77%---16,422--29.56%
1990------94,489--------36,526---38.66%----8,992--24.62%
1992-----100,193--------59,150----59.04%---18,975--32.08%
1994-----103,521--------40,405----39.03%---14,577--36.08%
1996-----126,888-------56,493----44.52%---18,454--32.67%
1998-----137,673--------33,301----24.19%----11,127--33.41%
2000-----148,854-------62,057----41.69%---25,132--40.50%
2002-----154,193-------45,754----29.67%---16,199--35.40%
2004-----162,369-------69,156----42.59%---34,842--50.38%
2006-----167,636-------41,051*---24.48%---18,848--11.24%
Source: Texas Secretary of State

According to the Cameron County Elections Office, they report 21,433 Early Voters in Cameron County as of Monday, October 27, 2008. That number accounts for 12% of county registered voters, which is a total of 174,428 voters according to the Texas Secretary of State.

With four days left in early voting, why is the media so interested in trumping up “the record turnout” when percentage wise it is nowhere near the amount of early voters in presidential years?

* Denotes the number of voters for governor, since the number of voters for that year was unavailable. It was the highest number of votes in any of the offices up for election that year.

Reply from Red States

2008-10-27T07:39:00.000-05:00

Dear Blue States:
How y’all been? As long as you are leaving the neighborhood, could you please return a few items, my lawnmower, for instance? I remember a lot of years ago, you sent some folks around the neighborhood doing what you called “redistributing”. It kind of sucked and we would all like our stuff back. With you all gone, we will have no need for the Federal Income Tax, so you can take that as well. I am glad to see that we get to keep Texas A&M, Rice, and a quite few other Universities in your offer. Also, please return Chuck Norris and Arnold Swartzenager. Under no circumstances will we accept Geneane Garafalo or Al Franken, we will now require visas to visit, and those two are persona non grata. Thank you ever so much for taking Hollywood. We were so happy that we get to keep NASA, NORAD, and the US Marine base at Quantico, VA and the Air Force Academy in Colorado. They will come in handy in the coming years. Oh, by the way, would you please consider taking France with you? We talked it over with most of the EU and they thought it would be best for all concerned if you would. Our big question is why, when WE suggested the split over a hundred years ago, did you all think it was such a bad idea?
Signed,
Red States

After Hours

2008-10-20T07:16:00.003-05:00

I am sorry that I haven't written more often. As is my habit when these times of drought occur, I did something that hopefully makes it worth your while to keep checking for some new stuff. The story is entirely fictitious. There are no hidden meanings (that I know of). In the middle of the 4 year silly season and the current climate of meanness and the usual conditions of self serving, cousin hiring, buddy compensating, deal cutting with public money and general lack of any competence whatsoever, I offer this expense paid vacation from the daily grind that is survival in the Valley.
M.

It ain’t really much of a story, but seeing hows you are interested, I’ll tell how it happened.

The other day I found myself staying at the bar a little too long after payday. Just a regular Friday night, till the police came and run everybody in for drinking after hours. Well sir, the next morning judge says we all has to pay a fine for drinking after hours and I didn’t have no money left after drinking for hours. The judge says I can work off my fine with community service, so I says ok because my head really hurt and I wanted to get back to my own bed.

Well sir, Monday morning come round and I reported to the County Courthouse for my community service and they give me a job emptying the trash cans around the offices. I thought that was a hell of a deal working indoors with air condition and such so I smiled real big an made sure I was the best trashcan emptier they ever saw.

After I finished with all the trashcans, they sent me to one of the offices to pick up some records. I got to the place they said, but I didn’t see no records. I didn’t even see a record player. This little girl pointed at some boxes and said that these had to go to the records room. Well, I figured the reason I didn’t see no records was that she had packed them in boxes. Well, I had done so good with the trash cans, I figured this must have been some special assignment, so I took the boxes with a smile and said, “No problemo!” and I took them down the hall where she told me. A little red head seemed to be expectin’ them boxes, so I put ‘em where she told me. She pointed at another bunch of boxes and told me that they was ready for the prosecutor to dispose, so I picked up the boxes an took ‘em down the hall. I didn’t need no help to dispose of a couple of boxes, so I didn’t bother the prosecutor and took ‘em to the dumpster myself. I already knew the way to the dumpster from emptying all them trash cans, but I didn’t figure that that little red head knew that. After disposing of those boxes I went up to the prosecutor’s office to tell them what I had done, but when I got there this leggy brunette pointed at some more boxes and said that they was ready for final disposition. Shoot, that little red head was just tryin’ to save me a trip, bless her heart. That brunette was about to tell me exactly what to do with them boxes, but I held up my hand and said, “Done this lots of times, ma’am, thanks!” She smiled and said, “Good, can you come back in about half an hour for some more?” I said as it would be my pleasure to do that and smiled back then took them boxes straight out back, like before.

While I was sneakin a smoke out by the trash, I spotted a couple of the fellers what was at the bar when we all got picked up. They was cleanin up trash outside the court house and I was glad it weren’t me ‘cause it sure enough was hot outside. They came over to sneak a smoke, too. They was a couple of outta work movers named Cletus and Jasper. Nice enough sort of folk. After we finished our Winstons, we went back to it.

After makin a round emptying trash cans I went back to office with that little red head to tell her that I had taken care of the prosecutor and did she have any thing for me to do seein as I still had 10 minutes before I had to go back to the prosecutor’s office for some more final dispositions. She asked me if they had me doin that now and I said “Oh hell yea, it ain’t no thing.” She seemed a little surprised but didn’t say nothin more about it. She gave me a couple of more boxes to go to the judge for disposition. I said I had time to do it before I was due back at the prosecutor’s office. I put them by the back door till I could get a full load for the dumpster. It seemed kind of funny to me that all these different people seemed to be in charge of taking the trash out. Maybe they should just take turns or sumthin. It sure seemed to be goin faster with me handling it.

When I went back to talk to that brunette at the prosecutor’s office she asked me what else I had been doin. I told her about emptyin them trash cans and all and she said that if I could handle final dispositions, that I shouldn’t be wastin my time emptyin them trash cans, so she sent me to the County Clerk’s office.

The guy was as old as my grandpa and didn’t look so good. He said he wasn’t feeling well and would be goin home early today. The way he looked, all pale and sweaty and such, I thought it would have been better if his kids came to pick him up and put him in an old folks home instead. He said he had got a call from the prosecutor’s office and I told him I knew about that. He asked how much did I know about dispositions and I told him “A fair piece, more than most.” not to brag, but I was getting pretty good at this. He asked if there was anythin I saw that I thought could work better. I said, ”Funny you should mention that, I was just thinkin about the very same.” I went on to say that things would work a LOT quicker if the boxes for disposition were just put out in the hall, that way whoever’s turn it was wouldn’t have to be asking if there was work to do. Just look up and down the hall. He asked me how long I had been with them. I told him that I had just started today. He thought about it for a minute then punched some buttons on that fancy telephone on his desk and wheezed at some young thing to send a memo to all the folks to put their boxes in the hall for disposition. Hell yea! Now we’re talkin! She asked him when this would be official and he said right now because he finally had someone who knew what he was doing and that we should all listen to him. That part made me right proud, but I was just doin my job. The old guy said he was goin home, but to come back to his office first thing tomorrow. I said ok . I don’t know how that old guy got out of the chair, but he did and shuffled out. I saw two big boxes on top of a file cabinet that had disposition and last year’s date on them, so I did the old guy a favor and grabbed them on my way out the door.

By the time I got to the top floor, there were already boxes in the hall. I grabbed a dolly from the utility closet and started loadin up. I must have lost track of the day, it was quittin time by the time I cleared all them halls and the two boxes by the back door.

The next morning, I went to the old guy’s office, like he said, but he didn’t come in that day. That young thing from the telephone came in to the office where I was sitting and asked if I was that new fella that had all the new ideas from yesterday? I said, “That must be me, but theys just common sense.” She asked me if I needed anything and did I get my office assignment yet. I said,”No they haven’t that I know of.” She said, “They are so slow sometimes at HR. I’ll get right on it. You can work out of this office until we get you squared away”. They sure must have liked my work to want to give me an office for just one week. I found out that the old fella called in sick. Didn’t really surprise me none, cause he looked like the devil when he left yesterday. I asked that young lady what I should be doin, and she said that the Records Clerk was out today and did I know anything about that? Shoot, I been handling records since my daddy gave me that Hank Williams record for my birthday. So I said, “Why not!” She told me how to get to the records room and I told her, “I already been.” “That’s great!” she said.

I was a bit surprised when I got to the records room, I couldn’t find a single record in the place. Then that telephone kept ringin with folks wantin to schedule a hearin. Hell, how could I schedule a hearin with no records to play? I told them that I was sorry, but I couldn’t find any records. They kept askin me if they could reschedule the hearin. I said that made the most sense to me providin I could find the records they wanted. They didn’t seem to get annoyed at this and said this happened all the time. Small wonder when there ain’t a single record in the records room. I did find that every shelf was full of boxes marked “For disposition”, so I did. Some of them boxes were marked “Prosecution”, “Judge” and what not. I took care of them all myself. Between clearin the halls of boxes and boxes and the shelves in the records room, that took dang near the whole day, even using the dolly. I was near dead tired when the day ended, but I felt real good about the job I did that day.

The next morning, when I went back to the old man’s office, I told that nice young lady that everything at records was taken care of for at least a week, I think. She looked real impressed, and then told me that she had some terrible news. The old man died of pneumonia last night. I was surprised it wasn’t the night before, cause he looked so bad when he left. I said I was sorry, cause that is what you do when folks tell you that someone died. She asked if I would mind terribly taking the old files from the cabinets to the warehouse. I said, “Anything to help.” She said she really appreciated my team spirit. I thanked her and privately really appreciated the view of her walking away.

I followed her directions to the warehouse and when I got inside I thought I would mess my pants! There was them disposition boxes stacked to the ceiling ‘bout 12 feet high in god knows how many rows and pretty darn near a hundred foot long. The person at the desk took the box I give ‘em. I asked, ”How long has this been this way?” He said, “At least the eight years that I have been here. Why?” I didn’t have the heart to yell at the poor guy.

I got back to that office and the young girl asked if everything went ok. This was too much for me. I asked how things could get so bad and all and nobody seemin to get the job done. I can fix it, but I am gonna need some help. She seemed to be used to people asking her to do things, cause the next thing I knew, she came back in with a bunch of papers and pictures of folks. She said that we could pick a couple to get started and would that be ok? I could feel that them halls must be fillin up with boxes right about now, so I told her that the sooner we got it done, the better.

I never seed such a sorry lot of folks as the ones she wanted to give me for help. Them pictures of the fellas showed pasty faces and not an ounce of muscle on a one. I asked her about one that was specially pansy lookin. She said that he spent 8 years at Yale. I thought prison would do that to anyone. “What about this one?”, I asked about one who looked more like the head waiter at some fancy eatery, like Denney’s. “Oh, he has 6 years of continuing education”. I thought that trying the same grade for six years running was a sign that maybe he weren’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. “Would it maybe be ok if I picked out a couple of fellers myself?”, I asked. She said if they come with your recommendation, it should be ok. I said,” Hold that thought, darlin!”, and ran out to find Cletus and Jasper.
There they was at the dumpster sneaking a smoke when I asked them if they wanted to work inside in the air condition. They asked if I was makin a joke, cause if I was, I was gonna get a ass whoopin! I told them it was no joke, but they had to come right now, so tell their field boss that they gotta go to the County Clerk’s office. So they did and he let them go.

I met them at the back door when they came in all hot and sweaty for workin outside. I told Cletus, who was the skinnier one to get all the boxes he found in the halls and take them straightaway to the dumpster, and would he check the trash cans while he was at it. He wanted to know why he was doing all the hard work. Here I take the good time and trouble to get this idiot out of the sun and he is throwin a fit about the easy part of the job! Jasper and me got in my truck and headed to the warehouse.
We got there about 11 and when I told Jasper what we had to do, he looked like he was gonna mess his drawers, too. I asked the guy at the desk if we could work late. He said fine, and that the old man’s secretary had called and said to give me anything I needed. He then gave me the keys and asked what else I wanted. I told him he could go back to the main building and we would take it from here. He got a whole bunch of stuff out of his desk and left, saying thank you for getting him out of there. I didn’t know why he was there in the first place, so I said “Good luck!”

Jasper and I got busy fillin my truck till the axle bottomed out. There wasn’t room in the dumpster, so we went straight to the landfill. We got in 4 more trips before 3 o’clock. This still wasn’t goin as fast as I wanted, so we stopped by and picked up Cletus and borrowed a horse trailer from his brother-in-law. This sure sped thing up a might and we had about ¼ of the place disposed of by quitting time.

The next morning, it was me an Jasper an Cletus last day. They waited with the truck and trailer in the parking lot so we could get an early start. I went back to the old man's office, like I had been doin and that little girl who seemed to take a likin to my work was there cleanin up the office. She was pretty happy to see me. She goes on 'bout how most of the staff was goin to be out that day for the funeral an could I stay, bein the new fella who didn't really know the old man that well. I said "Sure, but I wanted to ask you if I could keep those other two fellas on." She said,"I have their contracts ready." HR couldn't find your papers, so they will have new ones by this afternoon" I was very confused so I asked, "What?" She said to me that "She was sorry but most of the departments probably wouldn't meet my expectations of efficiency." She went on to ask if I could have my two picks come in to sign. Like yesterday, I asked her to hold on an high-tailed it out to the parking lot.

The way I run up, Cletus an Jasper thought we was all in trouble for somthin and that it was my fault. After I got them to quit yellin an shut up, I tol them that they liked our work so much, they's putting us on part-time, maybe even full time, so we all run back up to the office. The girl brought out some papers and Jasper started askin questions. I thought he was gonna blow the whole deal. "How much overtime?", cause he had to pay child support. She said,"Oh, there is no overtime" Dang it! I knowed it was too good to be true! "Well how much?", Cletus chimed in.

Continued......

What is it with the charter review?

2008-10-15T07:29:00.002-05:00

All you guys that are on it and reading, please get this: The number of registered voters is only of any consequence to unelected candidates schmoozing for votes; it has NOTHING to do with who actually votes!

Who is afraid of holding officeholders accountable? There is nothing sacred about the precincts. I still think it was a bad idea, but since we are stuck with it, as we are with many bad ideas, set the stupid recall levels at 75% of the count that put the officeholder in! It is so simple! The recall level is thereby stamped indelibly on the forehead of the elected official and he or she IS ACCOUNTABLE!

I am sick of hearing "We don't want to make it too specific."

When it is not specific, then it needs interpretation. If it needs interpretation, it needs lawyers. If it needs lawyers, it needs courts. Now I am one of the first people to stand up and shout that this whole county needs to be operated under direct court supervision (along with the Texas Rangers), but that is for other causes. I can't be more plain. Leave NO wiggle room. Spell it out.

Even when it was spelled out in black and white, perks abounded. Lawyers said, "It's ok", even the charter WAS specific. Imagine what these yahoos will do with "general" guidelines? Nail their feet to the floor and hold them accountable to the citizens. If they don't like it, tough. They are each only one individual voice. Take back the City for it citizens.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Too bizarre not to repost

2008-10-10T12:36:00.002-05:00

From FOXNews.com

GREAT BEND, Kan. — A Kansas man whose girlfriend was physically stuck to the toilet in their home wins $20,000 in the state Lottery — for the second time this year.

Kory McFarren of Ness City cashed in his winning $2 Bonus Crossword ticket in Great Bend Monday. On July 29, the 37-year-old McFarren received six months of probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor mistreatment of a dependent adult.

McFarren called Ness County deputies in February to report that his girlfriend, Pam Babcock, had refused to come out of the bathroom for two years. Authorities found her stuck to the toilet.

Medical personnel estimated Babcock had been on the toilet for at least a month and said the seat had adhered to sores on her body. She was released from a Wichita hospital after several months of treatment.

Wakeup call

2008-10-05T13:03:00.000-05:00

I approve of this message.

How long is this going to take?

2008-09-29T18:39:00.001-05:00

From the Online Edition of the Brownsville Herald 0 Viewpoints section

Highway Slaughter

2008-09-25T23:12:00.007-05:00

We have all heard the expression, "Like a deer in the headlights"

At this time, imagine a deer, a very fat deer. A deer with almost no neck and a round face.
Imagine that the headlights are those on a diesel tractor-trailer that is painted orange with a driver who looks suspiciously like Dr. Juliet Garcia. As the lights grow brighter, you will notice that the deer is looking more and more like our City Commissioner, Edward Camarillo. We all know how this story is going to end.

Camarillo is now excess baggage for the Garcia Dynasty. Juliet did more than put her hand in the Brownsville cookie jar, she stuffed her whole daughter in! It is apparent that since her son is now running, Camarillo is now surplus and will be sold off as scrap, or simply run over.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Breaking News: Early anouncement for Mayor

2008-09-22T19:06:00.002-05:00

Earlier today, on Blogging All Things Brownsville, Robert Sanchez announced in a comment that he will be running for Mayor in 2011. Melissa Zamora verified that he had actually made the comment by asking him directly on his blog, and he affirmed the claim.

But that isn't the news.

The news is that we have a candidate that we can all get behind. A candidate who knows what true loyalty is all about. A candidate who stands firm on simple issues.

I am, of course, speaking of my dog "Scruffy".

Scruffy doesn't drink, smoke, or do drugs. He NEVER HAS! He knows his limitations and has the good sense to come in out of the rain, which he has demonstrated time and time again with unfailing accuracy! Talk about a consistent, proven track record!

Scruffy is all about home and family, and although he doesn't own a gun, his protection of home and castle is nothing short of legendary. He would make any NRA member proud! He minds his own business and wouldn't think of telling someone else what to do in their own territory. One thing you never have to worry about with Scruffy, he is as honest as the day is long. If he likes you, he'll tell you, and not change his mind about it latter. You always know where you stand with Scruffy. He is very quiet at meetings, but trust me, he is paying close attention to everyone in the room. He is quite interested in cats, but that is another story.

When I explained the local political landscape to Scruffy late this afternoon, he simply looked at me. The incomprehension that things could have come to such a state was clear in his face, and believe me, you can see when Scruffy is expressing incomprehension. He will never act like he knows what is going on if he doesn't.

So join me and get behind a candidate that can show all these local clowns what we really think of them! Vote Scruffy in '11

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

This election is about progress

2008-09-20T09:41:00.002-05:00

It may surprise some to know that The Merovingian avoids television during the time many call “The Silly Season”. In years past, I used to hang on every syllable uttered by the various candidates in print and on TV, and radio. I was enamored by the mortar barrage exchanges between the two major parties, enthralled by the high altitude aerial bombings paid for by the political action committees, entranced with the invasions of the stump as the opponents fought for ground in the battleground swing states.

America has a peaceful revolution every four years with a systematic way of negotiating power sharing between the victors and the defeated. It is like Zimbabwe, without the gunfire in the streets and a body count of the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. This is the way many parts of the world view the American system of government. You may as, “How could this be? It isn’t that way at all! We are simply fine tuning our leadership to deal with the current issues in order that the country progresses.” The rest of the world is left to wonder, ”Progresses to what?”, and we answer, “You know… progress!”, which of course, clarifies everything to both our friends and enemies abroad (sarcasm) . It is this inconsistency which complicates our relations with the other countries of the world. It is this inconsistency of direction and purpose that cools the cooperation of our allies (we really do have some) and entrenches the positions of our enemies (we have some of these, too). How can you make long range plans with a country that systematically changes direction every four years? Why should I soften or abandon my plans when I can simply wait for a blind-eye government to take power in the United States?

America, so much power and so little idea of what to do with it!

As November fast approaches, both sides are preparing for our version of the Tet Offensive, D-Day, Pearl Harbor, the flight of the Enola Gay, or whatever decisive engagement you wish to imagine. The rest of the world looks on with fascination and sometimes horror as we simultaneously defend the presidential compound with loyal troops and assault it from the streets with loyal troops, all in the name of progress, which not one person involved in the fight can define.

“Of course I know. It is my business to know.” -The Merovingian

I would have gone on a bit, but.....

2008-09-19T06:30:00.001-05:00

Editor:

Among the bad ideas of note: A toll road in Brownsville. We are the poorest county in the nation and some bright chaps want to put in a toll road.

After years of waiting to get the rail track removed, now we will have a new obstacle. Please join me in advising the Texas Department of Transportation, "No, thanks."

Bill Hudson

Brownsville

A rant like this deserves air time

2008-09-15T20:52:00.000-05:00

Where was David Lopez, George Ferrish, Fernando Ruiz and everyone else for the last month? Why did they wait until September 15, 2008 to show up and speak their mind?

Why would Bob stand up and say "Former Commissioner" Cisneros' hotel tax question was productive? He has been in office for 7 years. He DIDN'T know that Brownsville was at its max and needed a special legislation to increase it. Why does he get reimbursed for his special trips if he doesn't know this?

"Former Commissioner" Camarillo supports another taxing district. Is he not suspicious of a DRAINAGE district working on a water park? After reading the story, creating another taxing district would be political suicide.

This is how it starts. Shirking their responsibility to another taxing district. Low and behold, the City needs more money for special pet projects. It will not be a net savings, e.g. the drainage district and public works for drainage.

How much financial contributions and support did the public safety unions give to the Mayor during his election campaign? He really wants pay them back with a 3 cent tax increase.

I am happy George Ferrish reads the blog and questioned the Cultural Arts Board and its tardy formation. Rick Romo questioned his presentation when they had held their end of the bargain last year and helped them out. No "Former Commissioner" Longoria you didn't hold up your end of the bargain.

You were supposed to involve the cultural district in the budget process. You dropped the ball. But this is not suprising from a disc jockey pretending to run for mayor. Rick Romo, don't wear a Cowboys jersey at a City Commission meeting. It's appauling!

The next time another public official tells one of the usual suspects to remove their hats, I am going to scream! Why don't they have some decorum? Wearing a jersey to a meeting is showing more disrespect than a hat!

Mero, I'm sorry for this long post. Watching this budget meeting is worse than having my teeth filled. I am changing the channel. I'm ready for some football.

Wes Blackmum

More pinche sneaky crap

2008-09-15T09:00:00.002-05:00

Drainage official envisions waterfall park
September 13, 2008 - 8:03PM
By Laura B. Martinez, The Brownsville Herald

.....He's kept the project pretty quiet to prevent the "politics" from getting involved, he said.

"If I would have politicized it, it would have bogged everything down," Gamez said. "There would have been too many personalities."

Gamez and Ayala are still tweaking the plans and the park's cost estimates. They plan to apply for additional grants to help pay for the park's construction. The work on the park will be performed by the drainage district employees.

Near the park area will be a large retention pond that will feed water into the lake so it doesn't go dry. The pond will also have gates that open and close that will prevent any over flowing. Extra water will be pushed back to the Rio Grande.

"Men can do this; women can do this if they sit down and relax. We can leave a nice little legacy here," Gamez said.

D-R-A-I-N-A-G-E
Look at the word.

The next thing will be to add taxi meters to police vehicles because they are out on the streets anyway, and at least it would be revenue producing. Who is paying for all those golf carts ferrying people to and fro? Who controls who gets hired for all the "support staff" for this "jewel"? Why are the drainage district employees doing all this work WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING ON DRAINAGE?

I thought the SPORTS PARK was supposed to be the next big "water park"? They are sure spending enough on it.

This is another board that needs to go AND NOW!!!

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

I know the cause

2008-09-13T11:08:00.002-05:00

SoCal train wreck death toll rises to 17
By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON – 27 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Emergency crews found more victims early Saturday in the mangled wreckage of a commuter train that smashed head-on into a freight train, raising the death toll to 17 in the deadliest U.S. passenger train accident in 15 years.

Distraught relatives and friends of passengers awaited word on their loved ones as rescue workers delicately dismantled a crushed Metrolink passenger car in search of victims.

The search was expected to last into Sunday.

"Clearly the injuries are going to mount and so are the fatalities," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said.

The cause of the Friday afternoon collision in suburban Chatsworth had not been determined.

We have been using rails for how long?

The solution is so simple! MAKE ALL TRACKS ONE WAY.
It does not cost anywhere near twice as much to run two tracks side by side as to run a single track.

I don't care if it was human error, computer error, sunspots, or space aliens.

To draw a parallel with the highway system lets look at the old 3 lane highway. For the past few decades it has been policy to dismantle the system where the middle lane was for left turns and passing. So many needless head-on fatalities showed TxDOT that this was a bad idea (with a capital "B") and they have been altered as soon as practical.

Running multiple trains in different directions on the same track is now, and always has been a tragedy waiting to happen. I wish the wait times between these tragedies were much longer, but they will continue to happen.

NKorea's Kim suffers stroke: official

2008-09-10T22:00:00.003-05:00

SEOUL (AFP) — South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak has ordered ministers to be prepared for any abrupt changes in North Korea after its leader Kim Jong-Il suffered a stroke, officials said Thursday.

Lee gave the instructions at an unscheduled meeting Wednesday night with security-related ministers and senior aides, presidential spokesman Lee Dong-Kwan said.

"At the meeting, Lee was given a report that the North Korean leader is recovering from a stroke and not in critical condition. The cabinet ministers also reported to Lee that the North Korean military has not shown any unusual moves," the spokesman said.

He quoted Lee as saying that "thorough preparations should be made to minimise confusion over changes in North Korea's political circumstances."

South Korean legislator Won Hye-Young quoted intelligence officials as telling a closed session that Kim had suffered a stroke or cerebral haemorrhage but is in "recoverable condition."

The 66-year-old is not fit enough for public activities but can speak without difficulty, Won quoted the National Intelligence Service (NIS) officials as saying.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

This shouldn't have been necessary

2008-09-09T14:22:00.000-05:00

Bob, you do it again at your peril.

I don't care if your friends fall under the paint of my brush. It is entirely their own fault that they do.

Don't you EVER EVER delete a post of mine that does nothing more than express a different point of view than your own.

M.

Shamelessly ripped off from BATB

2008-09-07T23:40:00.000-05:00

Is there any Harlingen coverage on here?

There's a major story at TSTC brewing with one of its own board members (Cesar Maldonado) vying for the President post after Leal's recent retirement.

It is rather amazing that the TSTC administration does not see any conflict of interest with a Board of Regents member applying for the position of the president of one of the college campuses the Board was appointed by the Governor to oversee.

At a minimum Mr. Maldonado should have stepped down from his position as a Board member prior to applying for the position of president. The TSTC administration is naïve to think that requiring Mr. Maldonado to excuse himself from the room during discussion effectively eliminates his influence over the decision of the board. Or perhaps they believe the people of the RGV are unaware of the back room discussions and negotiations that are the foundations for most decisions.

The Harlingen TSTC community was well aware of the fact that Dr. Leal intended to retire in August of 2009. That is until returning from an event this past July, where TSTC administration was also present, when Dr. Leal returned he suddenly and unexpectedly announced his intent to retire in short order. Then at the board meeting the next month Dr. Leal was made President Emeritus, of course this assures Dr. Leal that he continues to get his salary for another year, effectively providing him with his paycheck until August 2009, his originally announced retirement date.

If Mr. Maldonado is not appointed the next president of TSTC does TSTC administration seriously believe his relationship with the other Board members or his oversight of the campus and judgment won’t be affected. As a Board member he will continue to have oversight of the person who would have gotten the job he desired and he will have to continue a working relationship with other Board members who did not approve his appointment. You have to wonder, what is going through the mind of Dr. Segura? He appoints the person to the position of president. Put yourself in his shoes, How you not appoint a board member?, when the board who has oversight of your job and has the power to terminate your contract.

Perhaps TSTC Administration is not worried about that scenario and perhaps the decision to appoint Mr. Maldonado to the position of president was made before Dr Leal announced his retirement. After all the sudden change of retirement plans for Dr. Leal occurred shortly after a change in the board membership, when Connie De La Garza’s appointment ended and Mr. Maldonado’s appointment begin.

Then Mr. Maldonado is no stranger to riding the razor’s edge of conflict of interest, as a Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District’s Board of Trustee Member with oversight of the Harlingen public school system, where his wife is the newly appointed principal of the soon to open Lee H. Means Elementary school, just down the road from the TSTC campus.

One also wonders how Mr. Maldonado’s and Mr. Javier De Leon’s relationship will be affected as Mr. Javier De Leon is not only a member of the HCISD Board of Trustee’s with Mr. Maldonado but Mr. De Leon is also an Associate Vice President at TSTC.

No conflict of interest! In legal systems the rule is, if it walks like a duck, quack s like a duck, and looks like a duck, it is a duck…there seems to be a lot of quacking going on at TSTC administration that is drowning out good judgment.

...And yet again

2008-09-07T10:29:00.003-05:00

Money in the Bank: City officials advocate tax rate increase despite budget surplusSeptember 6, 2008 - 8:35PM
By Emma Perez-Trevino, The Brownsville Herald

....
The debt service fund alone has been generating surpluses since 2003 to the present with a fund balance of $3.2 million in the account. The balance shows that the tax rate applied for the yearly debt payment not only generates enough to pay the debt, but also creates a surplus.....

Then service some more debt! What kind of idiots would keep depositing money in their checking account while interest keeps accruing on their credit cards?

Paying down the silly debt ratio that Brownsville has is the ONLY way that the City property tax rate can be under local control. As has been stated time and time again, a HUGE percentage of property taxes go to pay on debt. This amount is not discretionary, so the bunch of baboons can throw up their hands and say "That part is beyond our control."

If these morons would simply lower the debt level where possible, there would be LOWER PROPERTY TAXES.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know."-The Merovingian

I am gonna be a little busy the next couple of weeks

2008-09-06T11:31:00.003-05:00

My daughter fell in love with a car.
A used car.
An old used car.
An old used beat up car.
An old used beat up car with lots of things wrong with it.

"It's ok, my daddy can fix anything." -daughter, age 4 in pre-K class (repeated often through age 17)

Sigh.....

There is no need of religion for fathers, they simply have to live up to their daughters expectations of them.

Oh well! Now where did I leave those welding gloves?

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The soon to be very sore and tired Merovingian

What Palin says about McCain

2008-09-04T00:38:00.001-05:00

If selecting a running mate is a real test of a presidential candidate's judgment, then John McCain's decision to name Sarah Palin as his choice reveals a poor sense of astuteness and serves to underline his desperate political expediency.

Beyond the much taunted image of a maverick, his critics argue McCain's decision has once again exposed his opportunistic tendencies.

They draw an unflattering profile of a spoiled son of a Navy admiral who misused the good name of his political guru and predecessor in the Senate, the late Barry Goldwater, and who callously left his first wife and children to marry into a $100 million fortune.

And this time, by choosing Palin, he betrayed all of that which he preached over the last 18 months - even 18 years.

"Barack Obama can start writing his inauguration speech," wrote me an informed friend the night McCain held his first appearance with Governor Palin.

I am not sure I would go that far.

But I am no longer sceptical about an Obama victory in light of McCain's decision to offer the vice presidency to the unknown and inexperienced governor of Alaska merely because she is a conservative woman.

If the McCain-Palin list survives the next two months with no dramatic surprises, the Republican nominee will suffer in the polls because of his hasty decision.

Transparent cynicism

The politics behind the decision is so "transparent" and "cynical", that it left most female commentators around the country dismayed, bitter, an even insulted.

Calling Palin his "soul mate" has only added insult to injury.

Women might pay attention to the nomination, one commentator wrote, but they won’t give her the vote.

Palin who ran the Miss Alaska beauty contest has been ridiculed as a lucky bimbo.

She is seen as the "Miss Congeniality" governor who held her hair up and put on reading glasses to look serious.

Her anti-choice position on abortion will end up distancing most women who supported Hillary Clinton.

So why did McCain choose the young governor?

Well, she reflects will for fresh change on the part of the old McCain; she is popular in her state of Alaska especially after taking on corrupted officials - some from within her own Republican party.

She is an ardent supporter of offshore oil drilling which appears to be supported by three out of every four Americans in a year when energy has become an important election issue.

And unlike the other proposed choices, Palin is a Christian social conservative that appeals to most of the hardcore evangelical base of the Republican Party.

However, each and every one of those pluses is marginal compared to the downside of her candidacy.

By Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's Senior Political Analyst, in Washington

Ok, you can stop smiling now. No, I mean it! M.

Rumors printed as if they were news

2008-09-01T22:25:00.002-05:00

I was gonna say it, with a little less tact, but Bobby beat me to it. It is a small wonder that the print media and even the hairspray crowd look down their noses at bloggers. In many cases it is rightly deserved.

Wanting a story to be true has never made a story true. I would rather be right than be first. Getting paid to write lies is even worse.

M.

Least anyone think the Republicans get a free ride

2008-08-31T15:21:00.002-05:00

I am waiting for the "Notable Quotables" from the conventions. The talking head take on things impresses me as much as another Weir anouncement.

M.

Former City Commissioner - get used to the title

2008-08-31T00:26:00.003-05:00

It would seem that some of those presently on the Brownsville City Commission have their sights set on offices that they cannot possibly win.

At first, this looks puzzling. Why would someone run for another office when they have the incumbency advantage built in to running for reelection in their current office? The answer is simple when you examine the psychology of the situation.

Nobody like to be sent to the showers on a clear evaluation of their job performance. If one is beaten in a race in a different political environment, they don't feel faulted or blamed: It wasn't their fault, their opponent had xxx machine lined up, or we couldn't get our message out there, or.... a million excuses. The truth is they are taking a cowardly approach to avoiding judgment. If you know you don't stand a dog's chance in hell of being reelected because the people hate you for being childish and ineffective, just don't run again. Don't waste the people's time by muddying the waters of an elected slot you can't win either. Leave. Go home. Spend more time on your day job, but get the hell out of local government.

You know who you are, and we do, too. Avoid the charade, because we will laugh all the harder for your chalking up TWO failures.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

My, Oh My!

2008-08-31T00:12:00.002-05:00

Hasn't our DA been busy getting his name in the news in a positive light the last couple of days? You all know me and my questions, especially when political animals are not blindly repeating yesterday's behaviors. Is his office feeling some heat that he must deflect, or is he up to something that needs a built-up stock of "feelie goodies" to carry him through some nefarious plan that I am sure I won't like? Is he ever going to give that million dollars that was the Port's money IN HIS OWN WORDS back to the Port? In short, something is up, because something is different. "I found Jesus.", isn't going to cut it with me, not that I think that has the remotest connection to this situation.

This situation bears close watching. Get the binoculars and popcorn ready.
Oh,and Mr. Villalobos, Hinojosa will not get you a slot in the Justice Department, no matter what he told you.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Obama Cures Cancer, AIDS, and Global Warming!

2008-08-29T22:31:00.005-05:00

Associated Press
Special to The Merovingian

Rochester, MN - In a move that stunned the medical community, presidential candidate Barack Obama and his entourage boldly entered the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN unannounced early this morning. While his Secret Service bodyguards ran interference against hospital security, Sen. Obama went directly to the biological research area and quickly decontaminated and entered the clean room where technicians were isolating genes which could be used as a marker for cancer risk. Calling all the researchers in the room together, he (Obama) quickly outlined the general plan for a retrovirus that calculates a checksum on the DNA of human cells which then in turn compares against the other cells in the body. Cells that do not match the checksum are inhibited from reproducing, thereby halting cancer in its tracks. In a hasty press release, it was stated that inoculation would become mandatory at birth, but would be paid for by the new National Health Care Department, so would be free and cost nothing.

After being bundled into his campaign limo, which was furnished by Greek shipping tycoon George Soros, the Obama crew headed for a waiting helicopter, which whisked him to the University of Minnesota, where AIDS research funding had been halted in December of 2006. Racing through the archives, Democratic hopeful Obama discovered two seemingly unrelated areas of study, that when combined would not only cure AIDS, but reverse the ravaging effects of the disease within a few short days. He left a sample of his blood to serve as the culture medium for further study. "It may only work on those of African decent at this point, but it is a start." Obama stated at a press conference held on the university steps. In a statement hearkening back to the core values of the Democratic Party, funding for the research and production would "Only come from those Americans that make money" further stating that "Those people who make money are morally responsible for those that don't."

Later that morning, Senator Obama met with Michael Moore, Al Gore, and a host of Hollywood celebrities at his favorite Five Star to unveil his plan to end global warming. "We could try to make the production of greenhouse gases illegal, but it would have limited effect. We propose to make the existence of these gases themselves illegal by international treaty. We intend to go after the problem at its source, not to merely patch it here and there with quotas." The presentation received a standing ovation.

After the luncheon, the Obama motorcade left for Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. The purpose of this visit was unavailable at press time.

(EDITORS NOTE:I approve of this post.)

Bet there is one PO'ed Trooper out there

2008-08-28T09:32:00.001-05:00

Atkinson DWI charge dismissed
August 27, 2008 - 10:13PM
By Laura B. Martinez, The Brownsville Herald
Brownsville City Commissioner Charlie Atkinson's pending charge of driving while intoxicated has been dismissed.

Attorney Oscar De La Fuente Jr., a special prosecutor for the Cameron County District Attorney's office, had the DWI charge dismissed against Atkinson on Aug. 20, court documents show.

"It wasn't a slam-dunk case," De La Fuente said Wednesday. "It was borderline case."

Like I couldn't see that one comming.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" The Merovingian

Take note, you worthless pigs at the trough!

2008-08-28T08:25:00.002-05:00

Drainage District No. 1 tax rate to drop
August 27, 2008 - 9:18PM
By Laura B. Martinez, The Brownsville Herald

"You've got to learn to hold the line and maintain financial, fiscal year responsibility," Gamez said. "Taxing people over and over is not the answer. It's finding a way to make it work. Don't ask someone to keep feeding you."

At Drainage District #1 and at the BND, it was noted that the tax base has increased, so less of a bite was needed to make budget.

EVERY pig at the trough who votes for even maintaining the current rate as opposed to lowering it should face the wrath and justice of the citizens at the next election cycle.

Their rationalizations ring hollow, their budget postings are full of glaring errors, if not outright swindles. Enough is enough! Basta!

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Smile, it's election season

2008-08-26T07:01:00.000-05:00

A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in Montana when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of a dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the cowboy, 'If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, Will you give me a calf?'

Bud looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, 'Sure, Why not?'

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer,connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo. The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg , Germany Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses a MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response. Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the cowboy and says, 'You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves.'

'That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves,' says Bud. He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on amused as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car. Then the Bud says to the young man, 'Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?'

The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, 'Okay, why not?'

'You're a Congressman for the U.S. Government', says Bud. 'Wow! That's correct,' says the yuppie, 'but how did you guess that?' 'No guessing required.' answered the cowboy. 'You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew,to a question I never asked. You tried to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about cows...this is a herd of sheep. Now give me back my dog.

Least we forget while being bombarded with BS

2008-08-25T07:38:00.002-05:00

Impact fees.....
The window is open, and the clock started running again.

If I may be so bold as to suggest that impact fees and zoning be coupled so that we have a Planing and Zoning board instead of a Board of Variance. Just decide it at the Commission level, because I don't want another stinking board created that would allow the developers to "take a knee" until the clock runs out again.

My stable of 'Usual Suspects' has been quiet lately, that can only mean one thing. They are up to something, and I am sure I won't like it.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" -The Merovingian

New poll

2008-08-23T14:16:00.002-05:00

Well people, what are your thoughts? Are there any diamonds in the the muck of the barnyard, or is it time to re-rack the balls and try again? Can any of them find Jesus at the last minute, or is it too little, too late no matter what they do from now on? I know how I feel about it, I would like to know what you think.

Note to commissioners who read this: Please don't go running all over town to look for different machines to vote from to skew the results, because I'll write about it.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Heat

2008-08-17T09:17:00.002-05:00

Texas school district OKs pistols for teachers, staff

....snip

"When the federal government started making schools gun-free zones, that's when all of these shootings started. Why would you put it out there that a group of people can't defend themselves? That's like saying 'sic 'em' to a dog," Thweatt said in Friday's online edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

snip.....

What? A newspaper taking a conservative,practical, and potentially validating pro-gun position and putting in print, without even bothering take it out of context? The editors of the NY Times and Washington Post must be huddled around their office trash cans loosing their breakfast if they saw this come across the news wire.

I have harbored a fantasy that our state would pass a mandatory carry law. Who would rob a bank, if they thought that some white haired grandma might pop a cap on their way out the door?

Besides, in the rest of the world, Texas passing such a law would seem normal.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Sometimes, you just got to ask...

2008-08-13T21:22:00.002-05:00

What is the mathematical correlation between the proposed tax increase and the current debt obligation of the Sports Park?

I am guessing that it is pretty close to one to one.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

And why after all these years and millions of dollars....?

2008-08-06T23:29:00.002-05:00

Official support for the weir project has all but died over at PUB. I am not unhappy at this turn of events, because they wanted a money pit, not a weir. But (and there is always a but) I have to wonder exactly why? What ever the official story for the change in mood and direction is bound to be a lie. It is more natural for bureaucrats to lie about just about anything. The real motivation has me curious. Well, in my case, a little more than curious.

Did they have too many big dollar irons in the fire? My guess is yes. I will also posit that they got word that one of their big irons in the fire is starting to glow red and they are going to concentrate on that one. Cutting the strings on the weir seems like a logical first step if this is the case, so they can concentrate their energies on what is sure to be a cash cow and a money pit for everyone involved.

Now, where did I leave my list of piggie projects they have thrown millions at? Oh, there it is! Why, it is the Regional Desalination Project! Yep, our old friend with the water that costs too much to make is back! Mind you, I don't have a shred of documentation to back this up, but I have to be right. They are as predictable as the rising sun, and less likely to change their ways.

Watch how by a miracle in these days of skyrocketing energy costs, this thing will be cheaper to run than the last go around. There will be much hoopla, promise of construction jobs, and claims of technical breakthroughs. I won't buy it. Nothing has changed in the design that will save a penny on production costs.

Mind you, this is prognostication. But when it comes to these guys. I know what they will do 10 minutes before they do.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

When will the Prosecutions Start?

2008-07-31T22:19:00.002-05:00

As I was driving from Central Blvd to 802, I was in my "correct" lane before making the zig-zag-shuffle across the 77 frontage, a car in the turn lane went straight instead. I was going to jog to the right, but there was a car in that lane, so a dive on the brakes was my only salvation. This time, it worked. I wonder how many times and for how many people it hasn't, and for how many more it won't.

But, the story gets better! As I was approaching Paredes Line Road, I could see all kinds of emergency lights across the horizon. As the now crawling traffic worked it's way toward the intersection, only to be diverted to the right, I saw the cause was an overturned tanker truck that looked like it had gotten an axle dropped into the dug out former roadbed, causing the rollover. Could this have been avoided? Absolutely! The construction itself was unnecessary and from what I saw, was the cause of the accident. I hope those responsible are sued, jointly and severally for those actions.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

For the technically curious

2008-07-26T23:13:00.001-05:00

Latency probes: 2865ms2372ms 2991ms 3109ms 3226ms 2907ms 2667ms 3098ms 2877ms 2696ms
Speed: 99kbps

Statistics..
alltime today
GPRS 43 kbps / 1421 ms
94 samples 48 kbps / 1417 ms
23 samples
EDGE 141 kbps / 913 ms
4265 samples 143 kbps / 875 ms
666 samples
3G 746 kbps / 401 ms
24253 samples 843 kbps / 373 ms
2816 samples
Wifi 2318 kbps / 145 ms
865 samples 2619 kbps / 152 ms
174 samples

..... now if the phone would quit dorking itself forcing me to erase all the application data, then reloading my phone book, I would be reasonably ok with the speed, which is about 3 times what I used to get with dialup from here. It is amazing how spoiled one gets with high speed data.

SitRep on Merovingian Central

2008-07-26T16:05:00.002-05:00

I have the house running on a generator. I made a fancy cable to feed the whole house through the dryer electrical receptacle. There are a few things I have to do without, though; central air, and hot water. I should count my blessings. My neighbor only has a fridge, a single florescent desk lamp, and two box fans because I tossed an extension cord over the fence. They were very grateful and I wish I could have spared more power, but such is the nature of things.

If I time my showering right, the pipes through the attic are hot enough for a brief hot shower. I found myself wishing that my hot water was augmented by solar water heating.

There is nothing I can do about the air conditioning. It would take a minimum of 18 Kilowatts just to run one unit. I have only 5.5 to run everything. It is costing $40/day to run the generator.

AEP will get the power back on to this street....Thursday.

"Of course I sweat. It is my business to sweat." -The Merovingian

Hanging in there

2008-07-26T15:50:00.002-05:00

For being such a technojunkie, some things really annoy me.
I had my cell phone working a couple of times as my internet connect, then *Poof*! it refused to do it anymore. This drove me crazy. My son insisted that I make his work on his laptop, because he saw it working on mine. No joy. Of course, in his mind I was doing it on purpose to deny him his God given right to cruise MySpace. after mine wouldn't connect, I hooked his up to my previously working connection on my computer, and it wouldn't work either.

While I was gone today, my son tried his phone on my computer. Of course my computer said that there were updates available for his phone because I loaded the latest super hot beta version of the software on mine. Well, he told it to update, then tried the connect again and it worked!

We changed the settings on the laptop to match my desktop, and his phone worked there,too!

Ah-Ha! Well, mine should work again, too, right? Baagh! Wrong answer!

Out of desperation, I told my phone to erase all application data, in preperation for a total reload of the software. Before taking the next step, I decided to give it a whirl again, and here I am. The phone books will all have to be reloaded, so if you phone me and I ask "Who is this?", it us because I don't have the books reloaded yet.

"Of course I'm confused. It is 2008." -The Merovingian

Enough said

2008-07-23T07:59:00.000-05:00

Charter Review

2008-07-21T00:44:00.002-05:00

Who wants to make book that the first order of business will be credentials on eligibility to accept appointment to serve?

There have been TONS of precedent in which that was the first order of business of a meeting body. I am curious about violations and/or arising conflict of interests for the committee of common citizens chosen for this panel.

I don't generally like lawyers on committees, because they insist on writing things, then they are so convoluted that it takes a bevy of attorneys later to figure out what was said, adding their own convolutions to the interpretation so the effective outcome has little resemblance to the intent of the drafters.

No outcome that helps the 'little kings for life' movement should even be considered. Limiting the scope of powers is always to be sought in a democracy.

GET RID OF DISTRICTING! The touted effort for representation by single district commissioners has proved divisive over the years and in an overall election, not one of the present herd of turkeys would stand a chance, as would be normal in a sane and ordered universe.

NO MORE STANDING COMMITTEES! There is nothing that the present band of honking geese would like more than the ability to appoint more people to more committees. It is the only issue they are likely to come to a unanimous consensus on. Maybe a few could be disbanded by charter and the ability to create new ones curtailed.
.....Well, it could happen!

PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE: Put some teeth in some of the provisions, like: "Position will be declared vacant upon....", or the like. Maybe fines for contempt during meetings by a super-majority vote.

No synopsis of charter revisions on the ballot. The full text revisions only. There has been an unfortunate tendency in recent years to color the language of the synopsis on the ballot so that the full ramifications and scope of the changes are hidden in soft language that seems reasonable, or in some cases leaves out important changes that would be in effect altogether.

CHANGE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RECALL TO A PERCENTAGE OF VOTERS IN THE LAST CITY ELECTION: No other changes AT ALL will fly with me unless this one is on the ballot.

Well that is all I have for now. I'll wait for the first round of self-serving suggestions from people inside and slightly outside of city government before I cut loose with one of my more unreasonable broadsides on contemplated revisions to the City Charter.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Disbarment proceedings, anyone?

2008-07-16T08:56:00.002-05:00

Dannenbaum absolved of port bridge liability
AG opinion orders release of settlement with Villalobos
By Emma Perez-Trevino, The Brownsville Herald

..........
The district attorney's office had sought to keep the agreement confidential. The Herald on April 28 asked his office for a copy of documents in which his office, state, or the court cleared Dannenbaum, the firm and its principals of wrongdoing regarding the project.

This followed Villalobos' announcement days earlier of a $1 million seizure from DEC, finding it was either stolen or misapplied from BND. The funds reportedly were part of the "success fees" paid to subcontractors in Mexico via DEC.

I have seen lawyers disbarred for far less. Now what happens when a district attorney gets disbarred for such shenanigans, hmmm? Oh, by the way Mattingly, your boss can't cover your butt on this one,"I was just following orders" didn't fly too well at Nuremberg, and you got yourself so personally involved in this right up to your eyeballs that you will probably have to sing loud and long simply to avoid real prison time. Just about any clerk in the office can bring this whole house of cards tumbling down. Remember that these proceedings will not take place in protected Cameron County, but probably in some Republican stronghold like Dallas in front of judges that you never met.

It happens all the time, all over the country, so don't think you all are unassailable. Allow me to show some examples:

The disbarment of Joseph C. Pelletier, recently removed as District Attorney of Suffolk County, was ordered by Judge Carroll, of the Supreme Court, today....

District Attorney Mike Nifong was disbarred Saturday for his "selfish" rape prosecution of three Duke University lacrosse players ....

A former district attorney with a history of driving drunk was disbarred March 28, 2001, after covering up his involvement in an alcohol-fueled accident ...

Former Plymouth County District Attorney Thomas Finnerty has been disbarred for advising a client to lie to a federal grand jury.....

The Legacy Lives On !!!!

2008-07-05T10:01:00.002-05:00

FOND FAREWELL

Larry Harmon, longtime Bozo the Clown, dead at 83
BY JOHN ROGERS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Associated Press writers Polly Anderson in New York and Robert Jablon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Larry Harmon wasn’t the original Bozo the Clown, but he was the real one.
Harmon, who portrayed the wing-haired clown for more than half a century, died Thursday of congestive heart failure, said his publicist, Jerry Digney. He was 83.

It is a sad day that we lost the Real McCoy, but we can take some solace that we have so many local figures continuing the tradition, in their own life-long tribute to preserving everything insightful and brilliant that the character played by Harmon stood for.

While vigorously denied, one only has to look at public meetings, news interviews, minutes of meetings, or even simple conversations with them at the cafes and eateries to realize the profound depth the character with the funny red hair has had on their decision making. It is OK, we all know it. Just be upfront about it and put aside the false humility. You all do a bang-up job of emulating your hero and it is time you receive the recognition you deserve. So don the red nose, pancake makeup, wig, and costume and proudly proclaim "Yes, I am a Bozo, too!" We know,we know.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

It was bound to happen

2008-07-02T21:16:00.001-05:00

I had heard rumors of a "draft" movement. Verified.

After Careful Examination....

2008-06-28T22:50:00.003-05:00

Most of the East/West traffic in Brownsville is horribly screwed up. I don't mean to state the obvious, but some of the why bears closer scrutiny.

I am not a half bad shirt-sleeve engineer, and from looking at it over and over, I can state now with absolute certainty that the destruction at the junction of FM802 and US 77 was done FOR NO REASON!

This project is a CCRMA project. Did they do it to fatten some buddy's wallet, or is this just some justification for their West Loop? Are there pressures to force through a westward expansion of Morrison Road that may prove easier if the other cross-town arteries are blocked?

If this is an example of CCRMA doing their job, I want the group disbanded for incompetence, if not bribery and graft, for you see IT WAS UNNECESSARY. This is an engineering certainty.

Some of FM 802 was lowered due to intentionally poor engineering the last go round in order to satisfy a harebrained scheme to keep Hudson's artificial resacas full.
The first time we had a gully washer of a rain, the intersection of FM 802 and Central Ave was under 2 feet of water and dozens of cars stalled out at night in the middle of the road. The road had never flooded before they lowered it.

In the latest round of unnecessary road destruction, they are lowering it again in front of the mall and near the intersection of Old Alice Road and FM802. Why do they want traffic stalled in high water at those fairly major intersections?

I am not so much of a conspiracy theorist to believe that that is their goal, but it most certainly will be the effect. So if the downside of the effect is so bad, what is the upside of the goal that would outweigh sound engineering practices? It has to be money involved, because no licensed Professional Engineer would sign off on such moronic stupidity.

Now, who gains from the roads becoming flood ways? The city for one. TxDOT builds the roads, but other than a drainage ditch, the city is responsible for storm drainage. With the roads as low as they have become, the storm waters will have to run uphill to keep the roads from flooding. This means that the city can get away with installing inadequate drainage for the roads, because it will be handling less run off BECAUSE THE ROAD ITSELF WILL BE UNDER WATER.

In Brownsville, we have been spared a major hurricane for so long, I fear we have rolled straight 7's too many times to expect another one. By the time a call for evacuation comes, the city will have already had some heavy rains preceding the hurricane. Our evacuation routes will be under water. Who do we blame then? During and after the hurricane, emergency vehicles will not be able to move because these major roads will be under water. What do we do then?

The truth of the mater is that there is nothing we could do then, there are some things we can do now, however. Get to the bottom of the UNNECESSARY reconstruction of the road at 802 and 77, and fire/prosecute/impeach whatever, every single person involved with that decision. Find out who profited and prosecute them, too. Since the whole CCRMA signed off on this wallet fattening proposal, disband the whole thing. It would have the added benefit of the end of toll road talk around here.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

For a friend....

2008-06-25T08:13:00.004-05:00

Fans of The Righteous Brothers will recognize the tune.

You never smack your lips
Anymore when I crack the lid.

And theres no chocolate sauce
On the end of your fingertips.

You say to "Please waffle cone it, baby."
But baby, baby I know it:

You've lost that ice cream feeling,
Ooh! That ice cream feeling.

You've lost that ice cream feeling,
Now its gone, gone, gone,whoa..whoaoo.

We are subjected to traffic BS by idiots

2008-06-04T08:05:00.003-05:00

Recently, I was on US 59N between Goliad and Victoria, which is under as much revision as US 83 and down here. The difference is that the contractor doing that job would appear to have some real concerns for the existing traffic. The attack plan for that highway expansion does not do the concrete cattle chute for endless miles, nor jerk people off and on to semi-complete sections.

The incompetent traffic flow management planning during construction in our area looks almost intentional in its malicious implementation. I wonder if it is?

Would we really have such a traffic problem if they would just finish what they are presently doing and get the hell out of the way?

History is replete with examples of problems being created or blown out of proportion when it was in someone's interest to promote an unnecessary solution.

Right now, I am thinking that our Regional Mobility Authority is just such an unnecessary solution.

One of my favorite books is Malice in Blunderland which defines a committee as, "A collection of the unfit, chosen from the unwilling to do the unnecessary."

We seem not only to have a committee, but a committee with the name Authority in it's title.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

From a comment in BATB

2008-05-30T08:26:00.000-05:00

At May 29, 2008 11:51 AM, Anonymous said........
Do you all just look at Brownsville stuff? Because it looks like there's a potential firestorm about to develop in Port Isabel. I understand there's a new mayor and new set of commissioners after a decade long control of a certain faction. Based on this special meeting scheduled (http://www.portisabel-texas.com/city/commission/May312008SpecialCityCommissionMeeting5B15D1.pdf), it looks like they might be cleaning house.

I think this is the agenda item being referenced:

3. Personnel Matters pursuant to Section §551.074 of the Texas Government Code to deliberate the
appointment, employment, evaluation, re-assignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public
officer or employee:
􀂙 City Manager
􀂙 Assistant City Manager
􀂙 Finance Director
􀂙 City Secretary
􀂙 Building Inspector
􀂙 Police Chief
􀂙 EMS Director
􀂙 Fire Marshal
􀂙 Museum Director
􀂙 Library Director
􀂙 Public Works Director
􀂙 Municipal Judge

Argh !!!!

2008-05-25T10:33:00.004-05:00

There are THREE sections marked Latino and one Hispanic.
In addition, following the Asian section, there are two gondolas with imported Mexican products, that I guess they didn't know how to classify. It seems to me by what I saw with the imports that Walmart classifies foodstuffs imported from Mexico as neither Latino, nor Hispanic. Why is Asian squeezed in between the imported Mexican and Hispanic? If there was no buffer zone, would fist-fights break out in the aisle? Is it of some utmost importance that there are THREE classifications for people who trace their ancestry to south of the border?

As near as I can figure it, there are a lot of Latinos, enough Hispanics to warrant their own section, and the rest are Mexicans who don't even get one of those aisle markers that have been driving me crazy. But Walmart please, if you are reading, don't add one on my account, I'd have to visit the pharmacy section for some calming medication.

You may think that I obsess on this issue, and you are right. It is just too weird for me and I would really like to hear Walmart's thinking on this. I am worried, however, that their explanation would be stranger than my imagination running wild could have invented.

"of course I know. It is my business to know." The Merovingian

A few minor changes

2008-05-25T00:52:00.003-05:00

I was getting a bit miffed at reading my blog using only the middle 25% of my monitor, so I widened it. If this causes problems, let me know.

Music. (by choice, not obligatory)
When cruising the local scene, I open them all at once (cool trick on IE 7) and the cacophony of ensuing caterwauling was driving me crazy, so I didn't wish to add my own to the mix. It was also driving me crazy to pop into comments and the song blowing up, so I use the pop-out player first, then comment away without musical interruption. Give it a try, it is especially helpful if the musical tract gives you some inspiration for what you are going to write.

Besides, some of the selections are crude and offensive, and as anyone who has read here knows, I am never crude. Offensive,maybe, but never crude. Play for your own amusement.

M.

Lawyer Jokes

2008-05-21T20:58:00.002-05:00

A friend asked......

Did you hear they are going to start replacing lab rats with lawyers?

1) Lawyers are more plentiful.

2) No one really cares what happens to a lawyer.

3) There are just some things a rat won't do.

Q: What do you call a ship with 5000 lawyers stuck in it at the bottom of the ocean?

A: A good start.

The devil visited a lawyer's office and made him an offer. "I can arrange some things for you, " the devil said. "I'll increase your income five-fold. Your partners will love you; your clients will respect you; you'll have four months of vacation each year and live to be a hundred. All I require in return is that your wife's soul, your children's souls, and their children's souls rot in hell for eternity."

The lawyer thought for a moment. "What's the catch?" he asked

How many personal injury attorneys does it take to change a light bulb?

Three--one to turn the bulb, one to shake him off the ladder, and the third to sue the ladder company.

What is a criminal lawyer?

Redundant.

What's the difference between a good lawyer and a bad lawyer?

A bad lawyer can let a case drag out for several years. A good lawyer can make it last even longer

A junior partner in a firm was sent to a far-away state to represent a long-term client accused of robbery. After days of trial, the case was won, the client acquitted and released. Excited about his success, the attorney telegraphed the firm: "Justice prevailed."
The senior partner replied in haste: "Appeal immediately."

The lawyer (thinking he'd trap the witness): "Well, sir, will you tell the jury how you knew it was exactly that distance?"
The witness: "Because when the accident happened I took out a tape and measured it. I knew some annoying lawyer would ask me that question."

Two lawyers were out hunting when they came upon a couple of tracks. After close examination, the first lawyer declared them to be deer tracks. The second lawyer disagreed, insisting they must be elk tracks.

They were still arguing when the train hit them.

What's wrong with Lawyer jokes?
Lawyers don't think they're funny, and nobody else thinks they're jokes.

There is a campaign to make my head explode

2008-05-18T18:54:00.002-05:00

What is next, a contract with J.D. Powers and Associates? This has got to be one of the sillier things that I have ever seen PUB spend advertising money on, let alone getting those guys to pose for the picture holding it. This is an award received for form over substance. An award for how pretty the package was wrapped.

I saw this and had a flashback to the movie A Christmas Story and images of the box arriving containing "a major award". What does it cost them to belong to the association that presented this award? What does this association actually do? Are there meetings, or merely annual trips to the post office box to collect dues and mail out a bi-annual newsletter and a few plaques once a year?

If they were awarded a Leaky Bucket, would they also take out a 1/8 page add with photos holding it up (properly bandaged and with makeup to hide the bruising, of course)?

I wonder......

"Of course I know. It is my business to know. -The Merovingian

Imagine Brownsville Public Forum

2008-05-14T21:29:00.003-05:00

Yes fans, I was there.

What we were presented with was classic urban planning, which was just a narrow sliver of the scope of the Imagine Brownsville study.

I found that curious, as I had expected far more be presented to the public before the next phase of the study was implemented. If I had to make a guess, and unfortunately I have no choice but to do so, I would say the urban planning was given to the public because it was more comfortable and recognizable to the general citizen who was invited to participate.

Each audience member had a little electronic polling transmitter, that I did not have time to disassemble. The explanations of the different urban planning strategies were well explained by experts in that type of scenario.

On each question, we were given four options:
1) Strongly agree
2) Agree
3) Disagree
4) Strongly disagree

The types of urban planning scenarios offered were:
Regional
Village
Ecological
Downtown centric

Each has its pros and cons and the final plan will have elements of each.
I did find it a bit of a letdown that some of the polling questions were "no brainers" for answers. Having a, shall we say, better than average knowledge of statistical methodology, I found that intellectually insulting, but then again, I do insult quite easily when it comes to matters of the intellect.

Some of the responses that the consultants clearly thought would be 75%+ Strongly agree brought in the low 50's and they were visibly shocked that it wasn't higher.
I don't recall the exact question that caused the biggest shock, but the way it was worded touched on landowner rights vs. eminent domain. That was what I felt at the time and was one of the "Agree" votes when they expected far heaver in the "Strongly Agree" category. Your mileage may vary, but that was how I explain it.

The walls were plastered with the major objectives from all the different sub-committees. An usually high number of the objectives from all the subcommittees began with the word "Want". I again was a touch bothered by this because I associate "want" with "wish" and the word "objective" has military overtones of "do" to me. "Want" is a wishy-washy word in my mind. I'll still have to see how that plays out as the rest unfolds.

Overall, it was professional and concise. I had expected a broader scope, but then the meeting would have taken at least 6 more hours. There were water and cookies, but no coffee. If I had my desire for full involvement, there would have been major casualties as the night wore on and I wore out, so perhaps it was for the best that a small sliver of the overall schema was presented for polling to the public.

I will answer any questions that I can on the presentation.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

I found this funny, I do not know why.

2008-05-13T21:28:00.000-05:00

Cameron County Hillbillies

2008-05-12T20:58:00.005-05:00

I know you all know the tune, so lets all sing along!
(The theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies)

Come and listen to my story about Armando V.
Needed Gilbert’s blessing when he had to take a pee.
Then one day the Port’s money he had found,
And squeezed Dannenbaum when no one was around.

Graft it is. Power-play. Perry’s stooge.

The date on the check and indictment didn’t jive.
The Grand Jury’s page he did hastily contrive.
“No way they will buy it down in Cameron County.”
So the big load of crap was read by Mattingly.

Lies it was. Fabrication. Balderdash.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." The Merovingian

She's Back!!!!!

2008-05-12T20:08:00.002-05:00

Bloggin' All Things Brownsville
I have not the words to express my joy and happiness. So here is a picture I stole.

This little piggie went to market.....

2008-05-11T08:31:00.005-05:00

Mayor asks commissioners to repay city for benefits
May 10, 2008 - 11:18PM
BY EMMA PEREZ-TREVIÑO/The Brownsville Herald

.......
Present Brownsville City Commission members that receive insurance at taxpayers' expense: Commissioners Carlos A. Cisneros, the family of Ricardo Longoria Jr., and Charlie Atkinson.

Photo not part of the original article,unfortunately.

The day of the Corpus Christi ruling, you would have thought these people would have seen the writing on the wall and requested immediate removal from the "program" themselves. But no! They have to wait and push until they get the same bad news for exactly the same reasons as given in the Corpus ruling.

I know that when you were little, mama told you that you were special and not like the other little children. Guess what? Mama was wrong again!

There appears to be a long list of things that mama was wrong about during your formative years. Your personal agendas seem to be high on this list.

"But mama says..but mama says....", no! Fix the streets. Quit pushing debt on future generations. Put qualified people on boards. Lower the number of these boards. And for God's sake, quit micro-managing! We have a city manager form of local government. Turn off your cell phones during meetings: The Heads of State that you seem to be advising can get your "sage wisdom" after the meeting concludes.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" -The Merovingian

Readers Choice

2008-05-10T20:03:00.002-05:00

Since many of us are hard core news and fact junkies, and BATB is on hiatus, I would like to make my site more friendly and useful to you all.

My first poll question really applies to PDA's. Fewer main posts make the page load a lot faster. The downside is for the desktop user who needs to click archives instead of scrolling down the page for the past few posts.

I personally find it annoying to access my blog with a PDA because of this, but I didn't do this blog because I like to read my own stuff. Let me know how you, the readers feel about this. If there are other PDA issues, let me know and I'll try to accomidate.

Guest Posting
I am not a prolific poster of articles, as you all know. I don't wish to bore everyone who is checking 4 times a day just to see that I have posted nothing new within the last 3 days. Are there some people that you would like to have guest post here? They don't have to be the 'usual suspects', and it would not keep me from writing about them, should they be, shall we say, lacking in the personal privacy department.

Is there more of a type of posting you would like to see? My usual MO is when something strikes my fancy, or I come across something peculiar or stupid, I simply write about that. I am not promising to go wiretap phones, or setup camouflaged video feeds on certain somebodies, but I keep this blog so you can have access to the same information I do, which some of you may have noticed is pretty extensive.

In short, I am doing what most newspapers won't or don't: Asking what you want, then doing my best to deliver the content that satisfies you and doesn't waste your time.

In no way could I ever replace BATB. No one could. But I am suffering withdrawals here, as all of us are. I just want to help.

M.

Ran across this, for anyone who has older kids

2008-05-10T08:09:00.001-05:00

Problems with Bloggin all Things Brownsville

2008-05-06T17:16:00.003-05:00

The blog shows as deleted, but I am not panicing yet. I have seen that problem before when blogger loses an entire blog. If the archives are gone, that will make me sad.

Could someone let me know what is going on here? I know that "it is my business to know", but at this point I am in the dark as anyone else.

[EDIT]

It is official. Bloggin' All Things Brownsville is off the air. I can not find the right words to express my sorrow, yet if Melissa felt it was the best decision, then I will respect that and will surmise no more. Buena Suerte, Chica!

Your friend,

M.

Why do they bother playing hanky-panky with numbers?

2008-05-04T12:20:00.003-05:00

When clicking around to find where they burried what used to be a front page item on PUB's website, I once more took a look into public documents burried in their links to the much vaunted Golden Palace. Bad numbers cause an immediate reaction of disgust and revultion in me akin to that of a nun overhearing the football players the day after the homecomming dance.

For those of you that like the Play at Home Version of What disgusts The Merovingian Today, Right click on the following link and pick "Open in New Tab" or "Open in New Window"
2006 Technical Memos

Every one of the scenerios has an explaination of assumptions at the bottom of the table that reads like this:

"Power Costs were added in the annual water treatment estimate of $.40 to treat a gallon of water. It is a line item under O&M Costs."

Now if this is the case, how come I can go to a Watermill and get 5 gallons of ultrapurified drinking water for .... $1? This price includes buying the source water from PUB and yet the company still shows a profit after ALL their overhead expenses related to selling me that water at 20¢ per gallon.

Making water cost more is the ONLY way these folks can justify the Golden Palace.

Call in the cleaning crew, 'cause they wee-wee'd on the carpet again.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

From the Houston Chronicle

2008-05-04T10:51:00.003-05:00

Sunday, May 4, 2008
Contributions to the Harris County Commissioner's Court

Harris County Commissioners Court members — commissioners Jerry Eversole, Sylvia Garcia, El Franco Lee and Steve Radack; former county judge Robert Eckels and current judge Ed Emmett — have raised more than $10 million for their campaigns since 2003, despite rarely facing significant challengers.

This database contains a record of each donation made since January 2003, as reported in campaign filings kept by Harris County Clerk Beverly Kaufman’s office. Court members may accept checks of any size but are not allowed to provide favorable treatment in direct exchange for contributions.

ECKELS DANNENBAUM, JAMES 77006 2003-06-26 $5,000
EMMETT DANNENBAUM, JAMES 77098 2007-05-11 $25,000
GARCIA DANNENBAUM, JAMES 77098 2003-08-02 $5,000
GARCIA DANNENBAUM, JAMES 77098 2004-06-18 $5,000
GARCIA DANNENBAUM, JAMES 77098 2005-05-26 $5,000
GARCIA DANNENBAUM, JAMES 77098 2005-06-28 $5,000
GARCIA DANNENBAUM, JAMES 77098 2007-05-24 $5,000
ECKELS DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2006-04-25 $10,000
ECKELS DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2005-02-24 $10,000
EVERSOLE DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2003-06-23 $5,000
EVERSOLE DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2004-06-28 $5,000
EVERSOLE DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2005-07-07 $10,000
EVERSOLE DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2006-07-05 $5,000
LEE DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2003-04-23 $5,000
LEE DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2004-04-12 $5,000
LEE DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2005-04-21 $5,000
LEE DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2007-04-10 $10,000
RADACK DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2003-02-10 $5,000
RADACK DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2004-01-30 $5,000
RADACK DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2005-04-05 $5,000
RADACK DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2006-07-09 $5,000
RADACK DANNENBAUM, JAMES D 77098 2007-06-25 $5,000
ECKELS DANNENBAUM, JAMES D & SHIRLEY M 77098 2004-05-05 $10,000

And they say that money can't buy happiness!

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Ahem.....

2008-04-28T21:21:00.002-05:00

Judge: City officials not entitled to benefits

BY EMMA PEREZ-TREVIÑO/The Brownsville Herald
2008-04-28 14:28:00
A state district court in Corpus Christi ruled that city council members there are not entitled to medical insurance benefits in a taxpayer lawsuit that mirrors a pending case in Brownsville regarding city officials.

Judge Nanette Hasette entered her ruling April 24.

"The case is very similar to ours in that it involved compensation. The judge ruled that insurance was compensation and the charter limited the amount they could get," Moses Sorola, who filed the local lawsuit that is pending against Brownsville city commission members, said.

"We hope that this will impact our case favorably," Sorola added.

IN YOUR FACE!

I couldn't have said it better

2008-04-27T14:29:00.000-05:00

Places to Find One Million Dollars

2008-04-25T07:56:00.002-05:00

Sealed indictment delivered in port bridge case
DA recovers $1M from Dannenbaum
By LAURA B. MARTINEZ and EMMA PEREZ-TREVIÑO/The Brownsville Herald
2008-04-23 23:16:00

Mattingly said Dannenbaum had been "instrumental and cooperative" in locating the $1 million that should not have been paid in success fees, but said that he had no idea where Dannenbaum located the money. "You are going to have to contact Dannenbaum Engineering Corp about that," he said. He did note that the district attorney's office continues attempts to locate more funds.

Oh! I know! It was put away by mistake with the Christmas decorations. No, wait! It was in an overlooked cabinet in the coffee break room. Maybe it was in a secretary's petty cash box.

Hey Mattingly! A small hint: Quit trying to blow smoke; you do it ever so badly. If your office is still attempting to locate more funds, might I suggest doing a search in the Brownsville Herald archives for TBX. Please stop listening to the small, fairy-like dufitti that swarm around your head causing you to think and say such Atkinsonian things such as, "no idea where Dannenbaum located the money"

Did God Almighty reach down from the heavens and beat everyone in the DA's office half to death with a "Stupid Stick"? Even I have a hard time believing that anyone in an investigatory capacity could be so incredibly stupid.

"instrumental and cooperative"? Oh give me a break! You have already broken my BS detector and I have to buy the new model with the Hilary front end overload protection option. Before you spend that money on a required steam room for law enforcement stress relief, or schedule the staff for a two week conference on reading and interpreting a traffic ticket that will be held next winter at Lake Tahoe, could you please cover the cost of my new BS detector, less the cost of depreciation for the old one which you broke into a thousand pieces. I do wish to be fair with MY claim against part of the $1 million.

Speaking of money, it seems that you and your merry band of idiots can't add nor count, either. Dannenbaum paid itself $1.7 million in success fees. When rounding numbers, the rule is to round down when the last digit is less than five (5). The math lesson I throw in for free as I am a generous guy. If Trey Martinez had to point that out to you, it would have cost you thousands.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Port Bridge Money Stolen Again

2008-04-23T07:43:00.002-05:00

DA to release findings into BND's failed bridge projectApril 22, 2008 - 10:49PM
By LAURA B. MARTINEZ/The Brownsville Herald

The Cameron County District Attorney's office today will release information on its investigation into the Brownsville Navigation District.

........

The press conference comes a day after Villalobos's office seized $1 million of success fees paid to the Mexican contractors on the international bridge project. The money was seized on Tuesday following a civil forfeiture the district attorney's office filed against Dannenbaum, Villalobos said.

"It (the money) will probably go back to the community," Villalobos said on Tuesday. "We are limited as to what" can be done with it. Under state law, the funds must be used for law enforcement purposes.

Villalobos' office gets to keep a million bucks of seized "Bridge to Nowhere" money. No wonder he found a reason to actually pursue something!

I got an Idea for ya, bright boy! Put it in the victims compensation fund and let the Port make a claim against it.

If Villalobos is sure that the million bucks was Port bond money, and he seized it, then claims it will be the property of his office, does that make the DA guilty of Theft by Conversion?

I am still waiting on some more facts, but I am not happy with the smell I am getting so far.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" -The Merovingian

Coverage of the Leaky Bucket Awards Ceremony

2008-04-21T21:53:00.008-05:00

The awards ceremony was held last night at an undisclosed location. I was allowed to attend, provided that I agree first to a pad-down and wand sweep. I was to be taken blindfolded to the awards site. Even my Blackberry was confiscated from me for the duration of the event. I had been willing to risk almost everything to live blog the action, but because of the intense security surrounding the event, and possible violations of the Mann act, you will have to settle with my report of festivities as clearly as I can recall them.

A recorded fanfare comes from overhead…… Da! Dadadada Daaaa…..

As the house lights dim and everyone's eyes adjust, a spotlight irises open on the left side of the stage. Behind the podium, a slight man with horn rim glasses and a bow tie clears his throat, causing the sound system to emit a dull howl which peaks out with a scream as the sound man adjusts the levels.

"Good Evening! And welcome to the first annual LEAKY BUCKET AWARDS!"

There was polite applause from the crowd, with just a couple of whistles.
"As you know this non-prestigious honor is bestowed upon candidates who squander as many public resources for as little in return as possible. This year’s dishonorees will be brought up on stage, whether willing or not, to receive their Awards, along with the ceremonial beating. We would like to recognize and thank this year's Sergeants at Arms whose mission it was to round up this year’s recipients using any means at their disposal and bring them here with as little damage as practical to receive their awards.”

There was semi-enthusiastic applause from the audience, as a second, larger spotlight fills the center of the stage on a group of men standing at parade rest. Each raised a hand and waved to the crowd when recognized, followed by friendly applause.

“Mr. Fernando Ruiz!”

“Mr. Alex Resendez!”

“Mr. Francisco Sifuentes !”

“Mr. Robert Uresti!”

“And the esteemed, the loud, the animated…… Mr…. Dagoberto….. Barrera!”

There was wild applause as Mr. Barrera lifted his trademark hat deftly with his right hand in a salute to the audience. The audience responded with a positive increase in applause volume. The gentlemen filed off the stage as smartly as their years allowed.

“Mr. Roman Perez is keeping watch at the front door.” , the MC continued,” And we wish to thank him for his continued vigilance.”

“We would also like to recognize an honored guest in the audience, so everyone please give a warm welcome to ……..Dr. Jerry McHale!”

The crowd rose to its feet in groups…loud applause…whistles and various calls of good wishes. McHale simply raised a bottled beer in high above his head in acknowledgement, while motioning with his other for another bucket of Indio. The attendees took their seats and decorum returned.

“So without further fanfare and hoopla, let’s start the first annual LEAKY BUCKET AWARDS!”

The audience applauds, as at center stage the curtains parted.

There standing was undoubtedly a woman poised regally with a black hood over her head and face down to her shoulders, covering what may have been a wide brimmed hat. The effect was somewhat like a black shrouded beekeeper. She stood: feet slightly apart with her hand folded over a common, thick handled, commercial kitchen broom propped vertically before her with the brush end squarely against the floor. There was no question as to her purpose in tonight’s agenda.

“Our first recipient ,the ever popular ……….City of Brownsville Public Works!

A ripple of applause cascaded through the room as the announcer continued, “Accepting on behalf of the department is Mr. Santana Torres.”

Mr. Torres was prodded toward the podium by those seated as he passed tables on his way to the podium. He was handed his award and took his place at center stage and smiled at the crowd.

Three thunderous blows fell in rapid succession, as the MC glanced in horror and raced across the stage to stay the broom before it fell again. In a tone probably louder than he intended, I could faintly hear from the stage: “THE BRUSH END, THE BRUSH END!”

A muffled voice from under the hood said “Sorrryyyy” in a sing-songy voice. She didn’t really convince me that she was. As the MC walked smartly to his podium, I heard someone say from the direction of McHale’s table, “That’s GOTTA hurt!”

As the dazed recipient was led staggering from the stage, the MC darted a glance toward the broom wielding woman who had attempted to resume her stance, but the effect was lost due to her shoulders shuddering and an occasional snicker being heard. The MC turned to the microphone and said, “We didn’t have time to rehearse the show, so please bear with us.”, then quickly glanced again at the woman who had still not regained her composure.

Clearing his throat, he went on to say, “Our next recipient is in the category of multi-agency funded boondoggle is…….. Cameron Works ! Accepting for Cameron Works is Francisco Castellanos !”

“Do you have a few words for the people? Castellanos started what looked to be a glare that was interrupted by the unmistakable snick-snack of a 12 gauge round being chambered in a pump action shotgun from backstage. It sounded to me like a Remington, but I was pretty far back in the crowd. Wide eyed and pale Castellanos stumbled zombie-like to the podium, and stammered out, “I won’t do it again?” The crowd clapped appreciatively, then Castellanos was guided to center stage for the ceremonial beating. The MC caught the eye of the woman I began to think of as the ”Minister of Punishment “ and firmly held up one finger. The woman shrugged her shoulders upward while holding the broom diagonally across her chest, brush end upwards this time as if to ask, ”Que Onda?”. The MC firmly repeated his indication of “one” with his index finger. She nodded affirmation, then turning the broom 90 degrees, flat edge on, she took one step backwards and let fly with a mighty swing that would have impressed Barry Bonds. The MC turned away and winced as the edge of the broom, right where the bristles were cross stitched for strength, caught Francisco Castellanos squarely across his jaw.

He pivoted like a floppy, fleshy pinwheel with his head contacting the floor a mere fraction of a second before his feet came crashing down. The MC gave the woman what can only be described as “The Hairy Eyeball” and again she said “Sorrryyy” in the same, unconvincing singsong. The observers in the crowd however, nodded their approval. McHale waved for another bucket of beer.

While the stage was being cleared, and quickly mopped I might add, the MC and a couple of stage hands forcefully relieved the woman of her broom and replaced it with a rolled up newspaper. She looked none too happy at this change of fortune and resumed her stance, occasionally lowering her head to look at the newspaper with what can only be described as contempt as she rolled it over and over in her hands.
“Our next recipient is in the category of public education...BISD for being a dropout factory with rising TAKS scores that still doesn’t prepare kids for a decent chance once they’ve finished. Accepting on behalf of BISD will be….. Mr. Otis Powers! “

After the applause died down the MC cupped his hand over the mic and addressed the Sergeants at Arms. “This is it?” Mr. Ruiz answered back, “He was all we could find. I called his office, said I had a problem, he said “Come over to my office and let’s talk about it.” so we went over and bagged him.” The MC shrugged and removed his hand from the microphone as a large green military equipment bag was unzipped and a disheveled Otis Powers was extracted and led up to receive his due.

Powers made a break for it when he reached the stairs leading up to the stage. Someone in the crowd let fly with an expertly thrown chankla, which had to have been brought for the purpose, as this was a strictly black tie affair, catching Mr. Powers squarely in the back of the head, as flying chanklas tend to do. The dazed Powers was snatched up as quickly as a misbehaving kid in the grocery store and pulled by his ear up to the podium to receive his honor. The MC reached over and pulled open Powers’ jacket front and shoved the award packet in. As Mr. Powers was led to center stage, the MC with an air of smug satisfaction rolled his left arm outward, palm upturned, toward the newspaper wielding woman as if to say, ”All yours!” She looked at her target, then back at the paper. She repeated these actions once more, and then with a huge back-handed uppercut, the now hard rolled paper came to a dead stop in an area that made every man in the room involuntarily jerk in sympathy, accompanied by a sharp intake of breath between clenched teeth. The now mercifully unconscious Powers was carried from the stage accompanied by a scattering of applause from the ladies and the few men who had recovered from what they had witnessed.

Another brief conference was held with the woman at center stage with even more stage hands involved; her newspaper was grudgingly exchanged for a pillow. Although it was impossible to see through the hood, her body language was that of sheer exasperation at this turn of events.

“Our last major award recipient for the evening is UTB/TSC! Receiving on behalf of this institution of higher learning and lowered expectations is ……..Dr. Juliette Garcia!”

She made a dash toward the stage. It appeared that she was drawn to the spotlight on the microphone. Fate seems to have played a part in this, for at the same moment as she was running toward her goal; Jerry McHale turned half way around in his seat, with a beer still pressed to his lips as his feet nonchalantly entered the aisle leading toward the front of the stage. Juliette’s forward sliding motion was only stopped by her head contacting the bottom stair step. Jerry didn’t spill a drop. Amazing!

The crowd rose to its feet. There was electricity in the air that you could almost touch. Even Dr. McHale had put down his beer to rise and join in the applause as a stunned Garcia was led forth to receive her due.

She quickly gave that pillow three twists and folded it in half, and before the MC could get one step from the podium, she had bent halfway backwards with that pillow-brick extended as far over her right shoulder as humanly possible, and she came down with a blow that would have felled Paul Bunyan’s ox.

Skidding to a stop, the announcer returned to his microphone, as it was too late to do anything about it and it was the last public award.

“Sergeants at arms!”, he called. They rose in unison and answered as one, “Yes Sir!”. “I believe that you have a remaining duty to the dishonorable mentions?” he asked in a knowing voice. Mr. Sifuentes answered for the group, “Very good, Sir! Gentlemen?” The platoon filed toward the door on the right where a push cart stacked high with cartons of eggs and a second cart with two large Charmain boxes waited. They disappeared through the door into the night with the unmistakable look of men on a serious mission.

This years ceremony was over and I was blindfolded and taken back to where we met up. As the sedan pulled to a stop, I was unceremoniously pushed out of the back seat onto the pavement. The broom was tossed out after me, as were my other personal belongings “It’s already been wiped for prints, my ‘host’ hollered at me through the rolled down window. “Keep it for next year!”

And that I shall.

“Of course I know. It is my business to know.” -The Merovingian

PUB, Desal, and the Rolled Up Newspaper

2008-04-15T08:25:00.003-05:00

After writing the title, I am almost at a loss for what else to say. They have got to know by now what I have already written on the subject, yet "Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!" really needs to get stenciled across the water towers.

There have been no significant engineering changes since I first wrote about it.

Do they think that Rick Perry will come running with fists full of cash because he wants to buy the Valley vote from Kay Baily? Having dreams is one thing, but living your delusions is yet another.

The only thing I can possibly believe is that they think the public is too stupid to understand what I have been saying. Learn from your bedtime stories; it took only one small boy to notice the Emperor was naked, and I am a lot older with a lot more experience in spotting naked Emperors.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

A little late for April 1st, sadly

2008-04-15T07:43:00.008-05:00

Phantom project highlighted in city bond rating
Housing permits boosted by commercial projects
BY EMMA PEREZ-TREVIÑO THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

While the city continues to experience a slump in new housing construction, it stands to benefit in taxable gains from a 20,000-unit residential development set to break ground, according to a bond rating report released March 28.
However, city officials explained that no such development has been planned.
“A large 20,000-unit residential development is poised to break ground in West Brownsville providing large taxable gains over its projected five-year buildout period,” according to Fitch Inc., a bond-rating firm.

Well, someone in the city is lying again! Oh, there will be backpeddling, "clairifications", what-have-you but the fact remains that like the Grinch in the story, "He thought up a lie and he thought it up quick.", flashes across the forefront of my mind.

Why didn't they just say, "City is breaking ground on a 2.5 Billion dollar residential development."? Because there is no sane person that would believe that.

How about,"City expects an extra 300 residential building permits per month for the next 5 years straight."? Because that is patently silly, too. Our most killer single month ever for housing starts was in 2006 with 119.

Who are we going to put in all these houses? How much phantom commercial development will be needed to support all this phantom residential expansion? Maybe we could then actually get that phantom Macy's to put in next to the Sports Park (you saw that comming, didn't you?)

Is there someone in our city standing in a corn field hearing an airy voice out of
nowhere saying, "If you hype it, they will come."?

If our financial picture regarding bond ratings is so great, why this? Why risk the city looking like a used car salesman in a plaid jacket with a striped tie? Let us never forget the perenial question,"Who stands to gain?".

Someone made up a whole bunch of supporting doo-doo for this "mistatement" of a "development" that isn't there.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Development surrounding the Sports Park

2008-04-13T10:59:00.004-05:00

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed how many things seem to be bundled with, or adjunct to the Sports Park? When politicos play their little shell games with millions of our dollars, they are always looking for another shell to hide the pea under. Lately, the Sport Park is taking on the look of one of those shells. By the time it is fininshed, we will have no idea exactly how much money was directly spent on the building and how much was used in other areas that on their own, have nothing to do with the Sports Park.

Distractions, like "Annex the Port", which are part and parcel of the shell game may have worked in the past, but there is a whole new generation of investigators out there whose work is not edited for column inches. These investigators are not hampered by layers of editoral oversight and deadlines. This new generation can take off on a whim and look at something in detail, because it is curious and strange without concern that something else is not being covered. These investigators are you and I and our medium of exposition is the Internet.

I've always maintained that if it could smell, it already does. The shell game the City is playing with Sports Park related (at least in their minds) expenditures and obligations could smell, ergo.......

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian