Politically Homeless

I am registered as an independant/unaffiliated voter. I am neither Democrat nor Republican. I suppose I've been a conservative most of my life. I went through stages where I didn't agree with certain policies, but from a very early age I identified with the rebublican agenda more than the democratic one. I loathe welfare. I always think of wild animals raised in captivity when I think of welfare. Once you have an animal used to being fed every day, it's hard to make it hunt.

I despise political correctness. Does anyone really believe that making it bad to say a word or use an epithet will make people stop thinking them? Racism, sexism, discrimination. These things are big business. If racism disappeared overnight what would all the people who work for anti-racism orginizations do? Go work at Walmart? Of course not. So they have to make things seem bad in order to keep the money rolling in. Ask Don Imus. I think Imus is a schmuck, but holy crap. Hank Hill on the cartoon King of the Hill said it best, "What the Hell kind of country is this where you can only hate a man if he's white?"

When did it get to the point that if you are against illegal immigration you hate all immigrants? How is it that anyone could think it's a good idea to offer amnesty to illegals breaking the law and at the same time raise the fees and costs for all the immigrants trying to do it the right and legal way.

Which brings me to my point. The Republican party has almost ceased to exist. Yeah, I'm independant, but we don't have a party, or any good candidates. The George Bush in office is not the one I voted for. The RINO's in congress and the senate make me cringe. (Looking at you, McCain et al)

The current administration failed to live up to what the people who put them in office wanted from them. As such in '06 a lot of voters stayed home and the democrats took over both houses. After that the republicans began to fold like towels on laundry day.

I feel abandoned. I feel abused. I feel as though my choices for the governing of the country I love and the place I call home are politicians who hate me because of what I believe and those that ignore me because they can. I fell I have nowhere to hang my vote.

Decoration Day

34th Combat Engineers ca. 1941

My father's unit

Pray for our troops every day, not just today.

Right Off The Bat.

A group of the regulars from the pub loaded up today to head for Arlington Texas to watch a little baseball. Red Sox vs our very own Texas Rangers. After a short three hour jaunt we arrived at the stadium. Everybody got their tickets? Good.

Inside, right by our section we found the Dublin Up Irish Pub. Vitamon G on tap. Woo-hoo! Guinness and baseball... What could be better than that? Oh, yeah, jumbo dogs.

Out the back door of the pub were our seats. I took this picture from my seat in fact. Location, location, location.

And then of course was the ball game. The man at the plate? Sammy Sosa. No homers today though. This picture was also taken from my seat, no zoom lens.

Happy Mother's Day

...to all the mothers out there... (Not you 'Neck) Especially my own.

Ma, I got you a present from here, but I forgot to send it. I'll try to drop it in the mail tomorrow. I love you. make sure my oldest brother spends lots of money on you. Remember, he still wants to be the favorite.

Where I Come From

Happy birthday Pop. Happy Mother's Day early Ma.

Out Of The Red, And Into The Black

With my next paycheck it will be official, my financial woes will be gone. I won't be rich, but I'll be able to do stuff again. The signifing event was the last Naked Lunch Special. I am going to be able to take days off to do research. Since I know there are those out there who have issues with that reoccuring feature, I will be starting an additional one:

Mi Tejas. I have been here for six years now. I know of some really cool things around here. Some I've done before, some I've wanted to for a long time. From now on most Sundays I will be doing something local. Taking some pics and writing some thoughts. On the list:

*The Austin Guitartown Project. Who doesn't love 10 foot tall guitars each with origonal artwork and a different theme scattered all over town.




*Zilker Park. Beautiful botanicals.



*Live Music. It is, after all the live music capitol of the world.



*Spelunking. I can cave with the best of them.



*Fredericksburg. German Texans and the only War in the Pacific museum on the mainland (Nimitz's hometown).



I'm not promising once a week, but I will promise fun pictures and informative reviews. Yesterdays trip to the Alamo Drafthouse was the inspiration. If I don't see ya 'round here, I'll see ya 'round, hear?

Reel Lines (10)

Buford T. Justice: But I'm in high speed pursuit. Don't you hear good?

Sheriff Branford: I hear perfectly. The fact that you are a sheriff is not germane to the situation.

Buford T. Justice: The God damn Germans got nothin' to do with it.

Last night I went out to the Alamo Drafthouse to see a movie with a group of friends. There are several Alamo theaters here in town, but the one downtown offers up camp, classics, comedy and interactive fun. You can go, drink beer, eat and watch a movie all at once. Last night was Smokey and the Bandit. The beer special of the night? You guessed it... Coors.

We grabbed a couple of buckets of iced down Coors in the can and made ouselves comfortable just in time for Li'l Cap'n Travis to take the stage to open for the movie. LCT is a local band and kind of what I'd call redneck rock. Woo-Hoo!

So... I got the hammer down, the rubberband stretched tight and not a Texas bubblegum machine in sight. That's a big 10-4 good buddy, over and out... .