Playing Defense

FYI:  Graci Garces, candidate for H-Town City Council District I, is Commentary’s client.

It isn’t even May and the Ben Mendez for Houston City Council District I Campaign is already on the defensive.  This past weekend they sent out an email trying to tout his Democratic Party street cred.  Mendez was a contributor to the John McCain for President Campaign against President Obama and Mendez has also given to the Republican National Committee.  Folks learned about the Mendez GOP donations last week via the twitterverse.

Mendez said this in his email:

City of Houston Mayoral and City Council elections are nonpartisan.

I agree, you don’t get to have a D or R next to your name on the ballot but partisanship is a major factor in City of Houston races.  District I voted for The President by over 70% this past November.   District I voters are not going to take kindly to a candidate giving money to Republicans.

In the Mendez email, Mendez claims to be a former “union member.”   When a lot of Democrats in 2008 were working for hope and change, Mendez was giving his personal dough to a RNC whose platform references organized labor officials as “union bosses.”

In his email Mendez says:

Mendez wears many hats.  As an advocate, this allows him to open the doors of communication and encourage bipartisan dialogue to address local, state, and national issues, such as immigration reform.

Mendez gave his personal dough to John McCain who at the time was running for the presidency on an immigrant bashing platform.  Stay tuned!

Everybody knows that Mickey Mantle hit the first dinger at the Astrodome when it opened on April 9, 1965 but do folks know who was the leadoff batter for the Yankees that evening? 

This is what resulted when GOP leaders relentlessly attacked The President for four years during his first term:

America’s blacks voted at a higher rate than other minority groups in 2012 and by most measures surpassed the white turnout for the first time, reflecting a deeply polarized presidential election in which blacks strongly supported Barack Obama while many whites stayed home.

Had people voted last November at the same rates they did in 2004, when black turnout was below its current historic levels, Republican Mitt Romney would have won narrowly, according to an analysis conducted for The Associated Press.

They asked for it! 

Here is the entire piece.

I’m thinking NBC News’ Justice Department correspondent Pete Williams is feeling pretty good these days after getting a shout out from The President the other night at the White House Correspondents Dinner.  Check out what The President said:

“If anyone wonders, for example, whether newspapers are a thing of the past, all you needed to do was to pick up or log on to papers like the Boston Globe.  When their communities and the wider world needed them most, they were there making sense of events that might at first blush seem beyond our comprehension. And that’s what great journalism is, and that’s what great journalists do. And that’s why, for example, Pete Williams’ new nickname around the NBC newsroom is ‘Big Papi.’”

Commentary likes Tom Brokaw even when he gets on his high horse.  Brokaw once again took a shot at the White House Correspondents Dinner.  He thinks the dinner is more of a celebrity-fest of sorts.  Here is what he told Politico:

Brokaw touched off the debate over the dinner when he told POLITICO’s Patrick Gavin in an interview that he won’t be attending this year’s gathering and that the last straw for him was when Lindsay Lohan was invited in 2012. The veteran newsman bemoaned the number of celebs at the dinner and worried how it all looks.

“What kind of image do we present to the rest of the country?” Brokaw asked. “Are we doing their business, or are we just a group of narcissists who are mostly interested in elevating our own profiles? And what comes through the screen on C-SPAN that night is the latter, and not the former.”

Here is how one of Brokaw’s colleagues responded:

New Yorker editor David Remnick, whose magazine threw a Friday night soirée on the roof of the W Hotel, told POLITICO he doesn’t think the White House Correspondents’ Dinner undermines the press.

“Look at what we publish,” he said. “Does it seem like it corrupts us?”

Over the years, Remnick noted that the New Yorker has published groundbreaking stories on torture, drone strikes and other sensitive topics in D.C.

“If one party can corrupt you,” he said. “You probably shouldn’t be in the game.”

Celebs are part of the political culture these days.  They raise and give money to political candidates and political and public causes.  They help create awareness for certain issues.  They are invited to state dinners.  Many are part of the entertainment industry economy that creates jobs across the country.   They get their good and bad covered by the media.

I wonder if Brokaw was watching the “Today Show” this past Friday when NBC News Department’s highest paid employee Matt Lauer was interviewing Martha Stewart and asked Martha if she was dating anyone and Martha responded that she nearly went on Match.com.  I wonder if he watched this morning when Lauer had Martha in studio and they talked more about Martha wanting to go out with a fella.

Stop the presses!  Martha Stewart is going on Match.com!

Here is the entire Politico piece on Brokaw.

Commentary likes George Jones and I think “The Grand Tour” is probably his best tune in my opinion.  NPR did a feature on it a couple of weeks ago.  Commentary only went to one of his concerts sort of over 30 years ago in San Antonio.  Here is from a SA Express News article the other day:

In 1981, George Jones cancelled a concert at Randy’s because he was “ill” (and yes, the story used the word with quotes).

The next year, he performed at Freeman Coliseum. Well, the term “performed” may have been generous because he told the 2,500 fans, “I’m drunk, but I love y’all.” The feeling was not mutual; they responded with boos. Only 450 fans made it to the end of a concert where he forgot lyrics and sang some songs twice. The promoters refused to give refunds because he did appear on stage.

According to the story (above)  in the News on Aug. 16, 1982, Jones left town the next morning “on a motorcycle, his girlfriend and a bottle of tequila in the sidecar and his road crew trailing in a bus…”

The fans forgave him, as he appeared in other concerts in the following years.

I was at the Freeman Coliseum gig.  I think was there because the concert had a political event tie-in.  I couldn’t understand much of what he was singing.  It was hilarious.  I felt a little bad for the promoters and sponsors of the gig.

Express News story here.

Mickey Mantle of course batted leadoff at the first game ever at the Astrodome.

In the Chron today there is another – YAWN – story on what to do with the Dome.  For now the story is only available to subscribers.

When you are 7-18 there is nothing good you can say as they head into Yankee Stadium for three. 

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Politics,Graci Garces Campaign,Houston City Council Races,Houston City Council District I race,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Texas Politics,President Obama,Republican Party,Immigration reform

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Tonight’s Takeoff!

FYI:  Commentary’s client is Graci Garces, candidate for H-Town City Council District I.

Graci will have her “Campaign Takeoff” at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport this evening at 6:30 pm.  The Museum is located in District I.   It is a neat and real cool place to have a political campaign “takeoff” announcement.  If you are a Houston history buff, the Air Museum is a place to visit.  They have a lot of interesting stuff on exhibit from the early days of commercial aviation in Houston.  You can spend a lot of time walking around checking out the display cases.  Here is from their website:

The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is housed in the original art-deco Houston Municipal Airport building at present-day William P. Hobby Airport. The Museum showcases the rich heritage of civil aviation, including the airlines, general aviation and business aviation. Exhibits include Houston’s fascinating aviation history.

We gave it a 6:30 pm start to give folks time to head over after work.  They also have some gear for sale there.

The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is located on the west side of William P. Hobby Airport, near Telephone Road.

Check out their website here.

This former MLBer was drafted out of West High School (West, Texas) in the third round of the 1994 MLB Amateur Player Draft and during his career smacked a dinger against the ‘Stros in the 2005 World Serious.  Name the player?

Yesterday CNN, AP, and Fox were reporting that an arrest had been made in Boston. It turns out the report wasn’t true.  Here is what the Chron E-Board said about this:

Speaking of journalists, CNN on Wednesday afternoon carelessly leaped before looking when it announced that a suspect had been identified. Fox News and the Associated Press followed.

CNN retracted its report soon afterward, but still took a credibility hit, as well as a spanking from the FBI: "Since these stories often have unintended consequences, we ask the media, particularly at this early stage of the investigation, to exercise caution and attempt to verify information through appropriate official channels before reporting."

I wonder if the Chron posted the CNN or AP story yesterday.

Here is the entire E-Board take.

Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to the Dome.  Here is from Chron.com:

The Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. will spend the next two months collecting and analyzing ideas for what to do with the vacant Reliant Astrodome in hopes of taking recommendations for repurposing the aging stadium to Commissioners Court in late June.

Under a resolution approved Wednesday by the Sports Corp. board, which oversees Reliant Park, private parties will have until June 10 to submit proposals on how to renovate the nearly half-century old stadium.

Agency staff will analyze any proposals received and deliver recommendations to Commissioners Court on June 25, the day the court is scheduled to consider the county’s capital projects plan.

GOP Cong. Goober from Tyler says that radical Muslims are being trained to act like Latinos so they can get into the U.S. of A. to create havoc or something like that.  Here is from the Chron:

“We know al Qaeda has camps over with the drug cartels on the other side of the Mexican border,” the Republican from Tyler said on C-SPAN Wednesday morning. “We know that people that are now being trained to come in and act like Hispanic when they are radical Islamists.

I don’t know about that.  You got to practice real hard to get the Latino thing down. 

You have to be able to sit through hours and hours of novellas.  

You have to learn the right way to climb on a burro.

You have to become knowledgeable of futbol or beisbol or both.

You are going to have to get by on rice, beans, and corn tortillas.

You are going to have to live with another dozen fellas in a one room apartment.

You don’t keep your dog on a leash and just let the pooch roam the ‘hood.

You also don’t fix your dog.

If you are a male, you better not control your temper.

If you are female, you need to strive to look like Sofia Vergara.

You have to drive in a car with sound systems no lower than a kazillion decibels.

You need to know how to handle a switchblade and steal tires while the car is still moving.

Get rid of the AK-47 and learn how to handle a leaf blower – our weapon of choice.

It is not that easy learning how to be Latino, Cong. Goober.

Check out the story here.

Former MLBer Scott Podsednik of course went to West High School in West, Texas and he smacked a dinger against the ‘Stros in Game 2 of the 2005 World Serious.

Our ace lasted 2/3 of an inning yesterday and we’re 4-11 and on pace to lose 118 games this season.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Astrodome,Reliant Stadium,Harris County Commisioners Court,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Immigration reform,Illegal Immmigration,Illegal Immmigration and the Republican Party,Graci Garces Campaign

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Reactions

In what inning do they play “Sweet Caroline” at Fenway?

You learn something every day.  I didn’t know bombs could be made using pressure cookers.

Lisa Falkenberg has a must read column today that you can only check out if you subscribe.  It is about marathoners.  Great job Lisa Falkenberg!

Meanwhile the immigration bill was unveiled yesterday and here are some reactions in the SA Express News:

Democrats and immigrant-rights groups have endorsed the Senate bipartisan bill, while voicing concern that border security goals not be used to block progress on citizenship plans for people in the country illegally.

“I’m hopeful that the trigger mechanisms are created in good faith and that they are not an attempt to further move the goal post,” said Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine.

Still, Rep. Joaquín Castro, D-San Antonio, and other Democrats said the bill “makes clear Congress is willing to deal with immigration reform with a reasonable plan.”

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin said: “Finally, there is hope that families can stay together and ‘Dreamers’ can succeed.”

Alicia Torres, however, could not bring herself to match his enthusiasm. The 27-year-old from San Antonio immigrated to the country illegally with her parents and nine siblings two decades ago. And while she is likely to qualify for the bill’s five-year fast-track to citizenship for immigrants whose families brought them into the country as minors, she worried its 13-year path for all others and emphasis on labor-based rather than family-based visas showed a shifting priority for the country.

“It just reinforces the same ‘good immigrant’—’bad immigrant’ stereotypes,” she said. “They’re OK with immigrants coming here to leave their sweat and hard work, but they’re not interested in families fully integrating together into the citizen community.”

Here is the entire piece.

I want to wait and see what Latino groups say.

The Chron E-Board has a take today on the Dome.  Here is the main part:

The University of Southern California knows something, but they’re not sharing. According to the Sports and Convention Corporation Executive Director Willie Loston, the corporation will vote whether to approve a non-disclosure agreement so that USC will share its super-secret plan for the Dome. A mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a climate-controlled stadium.

Whatever happens today, Loston says the Sports and Convention Corporation will also vote on setting a timeline to have Dome proposals ready for the Harris County Commissioners Court’s capital improvement plans meeting in June.

We’ve seen too many Dome dreamers high on ideas but short on cash. With a recovering economy, Houston now has the opportunity to do something worthy of the Eighth Wonder of the World. County Judge Ed Emmett is talking optimistically about a bond vote in the November elections, and we may finally see a future for the Dome beyond a reminder of past grandeur.

This whole process feels a bit like diligent students ramping up before finals, with a slow and steady studying turning into cram sessions. But are voters being left out of the discussion? As county-created agencies consider secret dealings, a commissioners court that was all too willing to kick the can down the road now could be all too quick to make a decision without proper public input. While a bond election likely will be necessary to fund any Dome plan, an up or down vote on the county’s decision is hardly a choice at all. Given that each commissioner represents around a million people while lacking the public spotlight afforded a legislator or city council member, it is questionable how well the county can translate the will of the people into a ballot choice.

Here is all of it.

Here is from Chron.com:

A team of scientists, including Texas A&M researchers, believe 2-million-year-old skeletal remains may be a new type of species that played a role in human evolution.

I wonder if Guv Dude will now go to war with his alma mater.

Let’s be thankful that A&M doesn’t come under the jurisdiction of the Texas State Board of Education.  Whew!

Here is the entire story.

Commentary likes the Big Puma but sometimes I don’t agree with his takes.  He doesn’t like Wrigley Field and this is what he said yesterday:

If they’re looking for a guy to push the button when they blow the place up, I’ll do it,” Berkman said Monday to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Chicago’s one of the worst places in baseball … really for anything,” he said.

I don’t think anyone ought to be talking about blowing up anything these days. I’m glad he wasn’t asked about Fenway.

“Sweet Caroline” is played in the middle of the eighth inning of course at Fenway.

“Sweet Caroline” was played last night at Yankee Stadium.

It was also played in Oakland.

The ‘Stros lost again to the A’s last night and we’re 4-10.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Immigration reform,Illegal Immmigration,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Governor Rick Perry,U.S. Congress,Houston Politics,Houston Latino Politics,Texas Latino Politics

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Jumping on Board

Grover Norquist is heading up an effort to support immigration reform.  Check this from Politico:

High-profile conservative groups are taking on an unexpected cause: passing immigration reform.

A diverse mix of the Washington consultant class is cutting TV ads, revving up the grassroots and advising lawmakers on messaging and strategy in hopes of getting a bill across the finish line this year.

The surprising effort is a new element to the immigration debate — and one that could influence Republican lawmakers reluctant to support the cause.

Here is the entire piece.

The article really doesn’t address pathway to citizenship.  Some Latinos are working to make sure pathway to citizenship doesn’t require impossible conditions.  Stay tuned!

The A’s are in town for three.  Name the top two all time career dinger hitters as A’s?

My pal H-Town CM Steve Costello has an Op-Ed in today’s Chron on pensions.

Check it out here.

My pal local activist/video photographer Carlos Calbillo is calling out a H-Town District I candidate because of her ties to the GOP.  Carlos is sending out copies of the emails.  It could be an issue because the last time I checked District I voted over 70% for The President last November.

One of the greatest local sports injustices was finally resolved yesterday when word got out that Guy V. Lewis will finally be going to the Hall of Fame.  It is about freaking time!

All I’m going to say about “Two and a Half Men” last night is that network TV isn’t what it used to be.  Oh, Lucy!

Mark McGwire with 363 dingers and Hall of Fame great Jimmie Foxx with 303 lead the A’s of course in the all time dinger department as A’s.

They are giving away t-shirts tonight and baseballs tomorrow.  I wonder how many fans will attend.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Illegal Immmigration,Immigration reform,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Houston City Council Races,Republicans and Immigration Policy

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Border Security Again

Commentary makes it a point not to spend time talking about the drug cartels south of the border or gangs or organized crime.  Those guys don’t play fair so why get on their radar.  I did find it interesting that Guv Dude put on his Dick Tracy lid yesterday and pointed to border security as a possible culprit in the Kaufman County murders.  Check this from Politico:

When asked about the possible involvement of the Aryan Brotherhood in the killings, the Republican governor said it is too early to speculate about who was behind the killings, but added that it also wouldn’t be wise to overlook any angle.

“We know the drug cartels are very, very active in our country now. It goes back … to the whole issue of border security and the failure of the federal government to put the men and women, whether they are military or whether they’re border patrol or whether working with the local law enforcement, expend the dollars necessary to secure the border with Mexico,” Perry said on Fox News.

I wonder if Guv Dude knows something the Texas Rangers, FBI and other law enforcement agencies don’t.

As of this morning in the MLB three out of the top four batters with the most strikeouts are ‘Stros.  Name them? 

Kuffer has a good take today on the candidates running for H-Town City Council At-Large #3.

Here it is.

Let me add two cents or so.  If it ends up with three Latino candidates running they may end up splitting the Latino vote and none of them could get into a runoff.  Stay tuned!

At The Mayor’s press availability yesterday she defended the ugly signs out in left field over at The Yard.   The Mayor said they bring in funds for community baseball fields.  Maybe they do but the signs hide the train, block a view of the Downtown, and just totally whack the character of The Yard.

If you get the hard copy of the Chron like Commentary you saw that the front page of the sports section has 43 Ks in big arse font.  For those that don’t know, the K in baseball means a strike out.  Opposing pitchers have whiffed 43 ‘Stro batters in the first three games of the season.  That’s a new MLB record.    Way to go!  The sports section visual is certainly not what the front office want us to see since they are trying to get folks come out to see “a whole new ballgame.”  Only 15,000 showed up yesterday afternoon at The Yard and the A’s come in for three this weekend.

I know it is way too early but when your $25 million team payroll is the lowest in MLB you may set MLB records like the one that was set yesterday. 

Brett Wallace (8), Chris Carter (7), and Carlos Pena (6), of course are in the top 4 in the MLB this morning in the whiff department.

The last two games they looked like last season’s team.  We’re 1-2.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Governor Rick Perry,Immigration reform,Border Security,Mayor Annise Parker,Latino vote in Texas,Latino vote in Houston,Houston Politics,Texas Politics

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The Madness Mail

Stop the Madness sent me a mail piece yesterday wanting me to sign a petition so we can once and for all put an item on the City ballot this November on our sanctuary city status.   Here is from their website:

We Need 20,000 Signatures. Have You Signed?

Two proposed ballot measures need signatures that will challenge the status quo on illegal immigration in Houston:

1. Sanctuary Cities: Public Safety policy designed to allow Houston Police Officers more discretion in identifying and reporting those who fail a valid ID check on a probable cause encounter.

1. E-Verify: Contractors and subcontractors benefitting from taxpayer funds on a City of Houston contract would be required to use E-Verify to authorize the legal working status of their employees.

You would think that their mail consultant would do a voting history check and maybe make sure a voter like Commentary (Latino, frequent Dem voter) would not get their mail.  Oh, well!

Only three times in the history of the ‘Stros has a player played in all 162 games of the season at the same position.  Name the players and the positions?

The State of Texas wants to shut down North Forest ISD and have the kids go to HISD schools.  The folks that run North Forest are resisting.  I’m betting the state prevails.

The Mayor is holding a press conference today to announce a campaign to get rid of texting while driving.  Wouldn’t an ordinance do the trick? 

Bill Doran (2B in 1987), Baggy (1B in 1996), and B-G-O (2B in 1996) of course have played in all of the 162 games in a season.

The first place ‘Stros are back in action tonight at The Yard.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Illegal Immmigration,Immigration reform,Republicans and Immigration Policy,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Education Crisis in Texas,Houston Indepentent School District

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A Waste of Time and Space

Commentary is not going to be spending a whole lot of time talking about 2016 right now and I’m certainly not going to spend a lot of time talking about Guv Dude running in 2016 because I don’t do fantasy politics.   Burkablog says this:

We’ve been through this before, so permit me to ask the question: Can anyone make the case that Rick Perry has a realistic shot at the Republican nomination for president? Okay, the National Journal did (sort of), but I can’t. The race for the 2016 nomination will take place in two brackets. Call one the establishment bracket, which includes Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Jon Huntsman, Bobby Jindal, Scott Walker, and Bob McDonnell. The other bracket is the tea party bracket, where the contenders include Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and, yes, Ted Cruz. This is the bracket where Perry would compete, but he has no chance to win it. Rubio, Paul, and Cruz all have substantial followings; Perry does not.

Dude is definitely not a bracket buster.

Everybody knows that B-G-O’s last Opening Day start was in 2007.  Name the Opening Day starter at second base for the ‘Stros in 2008?

Lately there have been a few articles, posts, and takes about Texas turning blue or purple and when it is going to happen.  Some of the chatter involves the growing Latino vote.  MariGirl made an interesting observation yesterday that got me to thinking.   She said that if serious immigration reform is enacted with the help of the GOP some Latino voters might start looking favorably again at the GOP. 

I have said in the past that immigration is a filter issue for many Latino voters.  We won’t listen to you on other stuff if you can’t handle immigration.  If the immigration filter is removed then who knows what might happen.  Immigration reform is getting a ton of press coverage these days.  Last week Sen. Rand Paul came out for a pathway to citizenship.  The growing Latino vote is the reason immigration reform is on the front burner and the Latino voter is paying attention to what is going on.

I kind of have to agree with MariGirl.  MariGirl was at the forefront the last couple of years on The DREAM Act debate so she knows what is going on.  If the GOP helps deliver immigration reform turning Texas purple or blue may take a little longer.  If they don’t, the 71% Latino vote for Dems may grow.  Stay tuned!!

Congrats to Tiger!

Mark Loretta of course started at second base for the ‘Stros on Opening Day in 2008 – Mark who?

The team is finalizing the Opening Day roster.

 

Technorati Tags: 2016 Republican Presidential Primary,Governor Rick Perry,Ted Cruz,Houston Politics,Texas Politics,Latinos and the Texas Repulican Party,Immigration reform,Republicans and Immigration Policy,Marc Campos,Campos Communications

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Changing GOP and Debating the Dome

Here is from an article that says new polling shows rank and file GOPers support a path to citizenship:

Nearly two-thirds of Americans favor giving undocumented immigrants in the country an opportunity for legal status with a path to citizenship, according to a poll published Thursday by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution.

Support for an earned path to citizenship for those immigrants came from 71 percent of Democrats and also a majority, 53 percent, of Republicans, the poll found.

The option that drew the least support in the poll was legal residency for undocumented immigrants with no path to citizenship; only 14 percent of Americans favored that approach.

Here is the article.

The GOP leadership needs to step up on this.  I doubt we will see any leaders from Texas step up.  Stay tuned!

Yesterday Commentary mentioned the last regular season MLB game held at the Dome on Sunday, October 3, 1999 versus the Dodgers.  Name the starting pitcher for the ‘Stros that afternoon?

The debate on the Dome is heating up a bit.  Here is from the Chron today:

Harris County officials on Thursday disputed an estimate released this week showing it would cost $29 million to implode the vacant Reliant Astrodome and build a 1,600-space parking lot in two and a half years.

The figure, calculated by local firms Linbeck Construction and Walter P. Moore and Associates after a three-month study commissioned by the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, is less than half the estimated price tag released last year by consultants hired by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp., the county agency that runs Reliant Park.

And:

Linbeck Vice President John Go said the firms stand by the findings of the study and the price tag.

"The Houston Texans and the Rodeo asked us to develop a methodology and a report that will stand up against questions because they knew that someone might question it," Go said, noting that Walter P. Moore was the structural engineer when the stadium was built in the mid-1960s and again when it was expanded in 1989.

Go said they consulted more than a half dozen local companies and specialty subcontractors, including for asbestos removal, demolition and filling the more than 30-foot-deep hole that would be left after razing the structure.

The County sent out my friend Edgar Colon to challenge the Rodeo and Texans.  Here is from the Houston Press:

But on Thursday afternoon Harris County Sports Convention Corporation chairman Edgar Colon said that the Dome wasn’t the only thing hindering a bowl bid.

What those other things were he didn’t specify. What could that be? A hulking mass of steel and concrete smack in the middle of the complex isn’t the only thing?

Speaking amongst dusty left field-line seats, he took questions about the $29 million figure, which he seemed to have pushed up to $40 million during the press conference, confusing most of us.

Here is the entire Press piece.

It looks like the Texans and Rodeo are stepping things up. Good for them and for us.  I have nothing but respect for Edgar and sending him out was a good first step, but if the county wants to resist for now, Edgar is going to need some help.  He can’t do it alone.

Edgar mentions that something else may be hindering a bowl bid.  He needs to let us know what it is. 

I like where this is heading. I’m still waiting to see if any elected officials side up with the Rodeo and Texans.  In a Rodeo/Texans versus the County match-up, I’ll bet on the Rodeo/Texans. 

Mike Hampton of course started the last regular season game for the ‘Stros at the Dome back in 1999.

The Skipper announced that Brett Wallace would bat second against righties for now. 

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Illegal Immmigration,Immigration reform,Houston Texans,National Football League,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Astrodome,Reliant Stadium,Republicans and Immigration Policy,Harris County Commisioners Court

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RNC’s Different Tune

The RNC Report yesterday said immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship should happen.  They finally got off of that silly Latinos should vote for the GOP because we are patriotic, believe in family, and are religious or something like that.  The old saying about elections have consequences also applies to the Latino community.

We can’t accomplish meaningful immigration reform without the help of some in the GOP.  Let’s just hope that enough of them acknowledge the right thing to do.  Stay tuned!

I wonder if any GOP leaders from the State of Texas will give props to the RNC Report.  I doubt it.

Name the Opening Day starter of the inaugural Colt 45s team of 1962 who was the 1952 AL MVP Award winner.

It is interesting to see the debate of sorts going on within the national GOP the day after the RNC report has been released.  You have the Tea Party, Rush, Ann Coulter, and many CPACers on one side and the so called Bushies or establishment GOPers on the other side.  The last thing Democrats ought to be doing is gloating over this infighting.  After all, 2010 wasn’t that long ago.  We just need to keep communicating with our base.

I’m not going to say a whole lot about Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn other than to say I would prefer that she take up his sport and not the other way around. 

Yesterday I forgot to mention the scarecrow warriors from “Oz: The Great and Powerful.”

Colt 45s Opening Day starting pitcher Bobby Shantz of course won the 1952 AL MVP Award with the Philadelphia A’s after going 24-7 with a 2.48 ERA.

I heard and read a couple of reports about the new radio announcers for the ‘Stros.  The reports are not good.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Republican Presidential Primary,Republican National Committee,Immigration reform,Republicans and Immigration Policy,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Texas Republicans,Latino Vote in Texas,Houston Politics,Texas Democratic Party

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Calling Them Out and “Oz: The Great and Powerful.”

This past Saturday the Chron E-Board continued to call out local state legislators for not filing legislation on changing up how we deal with the Houston Firefighters’ pension.  Here is a part:

Here’s a fact that should make city of Houston voters and taxpayers do a not-so-slow burn: Out of all those thousands of bills deemed by at least one lawmaker as worthy of consideration by our state Legislature, not a single one was filed to address a stubbornly serious problem facing the city of Houston and its taxpayers: the lack of local control over the city of Houston firefighters’ pension fund.

As it has for too many years, the business of negotiating with representatives of the firefighters’ pension fund apparently will continue to reside with state lawmakers rather than with the mayor and City Council of Houston, where it properly belongs.

This marks the third straight legislative session in which no member of the Houston delegation has seen fit to look out for taxpayers by carrying a bill to bring this responsibility back home.

Mayor Annise Parker has characterized this change in procedure as key to getting a handle on long-term city finances.

We’ve tried public shaming. But not even calling out the names of the 37 legislators who represent at least a piece of Houston in a Chronicle editorial was sufficient to stir a single one from his or her lethargy. Or is it fear?

In the past, we’ve hinted about the history of influential local lawmakers using their powers to keep pension fund business cloaked in secrecy and out of the hands of mayor and council. No doubt, that remains a factor in continuing the stalemate.

Evidently, another factor is the lack of concern expressed by constituents. When directly queried on the pension issue awhile back, Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told us that he hasn’t revisited his position on the issue because he hasn’t heard any complaints from taxpayers.

It is interesting that they singled out The Dean.  I guess they singled him out because he is The Dean.

Of course if The Mayor and others want to get legislation filed, then they ought to do what The Dean is kind of recommending.  Start organizing taxpayers and get them to start complaining – duh!

Of course right now The Mayor’s chief political project is to get reelected.

Here is the entire Chron E-Board take.

Former ABC News White House correspondent Jake Tapper starts his new show on CNN this afternoon.  In promos that have been running, Tapper says he knows everything about the 1980 Phillies.  Oh yeah!  I wonder if Jake can tell us the name of the pitcher that was credited with the win in Game 5 of the 1980 NLCS versus the ‘Stros!

Everyone knows that “The Wizard of Oz” is Commentary’s third best film of all time so I had to go see “Oz:  The Great and Powerful.”  I went yesterday to check it out with My Brown Eye Girl and we both thought it was excellent. I particularly liked the film paying homage to the 1939 classic.  The 1905 scenes in the new film are shot in small screen black and white like the Kansas scenes in the classic.  When the Wizard lands in the Land of Oz the screens widens and turns into color – when Dorothy in the classic lands in Oz it turns into color.

In the classic, there are five characters (Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch, Hunk/Scarecrow, Zeke/Cowardly Lion, Hickory/Tin Man, and Professor Marvel/Wizard) that have roles in the black and white and color scenes.   In the latest there are three – I won’t reveal.

In the latest there is a lion that gets scared away, there is a reference to making a scarecrow, there is an explanation and key scene involving the poppy fields, and there are handouts for service at the end of the flick by The Wizard to key heroes.

There is also a mention in the beginning of a John Gale – in the classic the heroine was named Dorothy Gale of course.  In both there is a twister and a hot air balloon.

We learn the technology involved in projecting The Wizard for folks to see.

Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz are perfect as the witches.  I won’t mention their roles.

James Franco nails it as The Wizard.

I don’t think Mila Kunis will ever have Margaret Hamilton’s problem regarding typecasting!

It is a good prequel for sure and it would not surprise me if a sequel prequel is already in the works because we still don’t know about how the ruby slippers, the horses of a different color, and the election of the Mayor of Munchkin City come to play.  If you are a “Wizard” aficionado, seeing “Oz: The Great and Powerful” is a must.

I also checked it out in 3D and am now an instant 3D fan.  It is a beautiful flick and it costs a little more but worth it.  The beginning and ending credits in 3D are a trip for sure!

BTW:  In the trailers yesterday they are bringing back the 20-year old “Jurassic Park” in 3D.  I will be there in 3D for sure!

The RNC is issuing an autopsy of sorts on themselves.  One thing is for sure is that they can’t agree on how to move forward or backward. Here is from an article I saw today:

Some Republicans, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio among them, are working toward bipartisan immigration reform that is likely to include a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants — sometimes called "amnesty." Conservative commentator Ann Coulter ripped the idea in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference over the weekend.

"If amnesty goes through, America becomes California and no Republican will ever win another national election," Coulter said, later adding, "I can see why Democrats would want amnesty, but why on earth are Marco Rubio and these endless Bushes supporting it?"

Somebody in the GOP just needs to step up and tell Ann Coulter to shut up.  Her rants are just designed to give her rating points.  The Latino vote is growing and we’ve already made up our minds on immigration reform.  The GOP can either kiss our vote goodbye for a while or deal with our concerns.

Here is the rest of the RNC article.

Phillies pitcher Dick Ruthven of course picked up the win in the 10 inning series clinching Game 5 of the 1980 NLCS.  I wonder if Jake knows this. 

I don’t have anything from The Yard today.

 

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