The Noise Machine (12/09/09)

The day before the day before.....


That's 20 Heights fires now, and counting.


This is a good idea. Granted, it's one that local "law & order" types are going to have kittens over, but it's a good idea regardless. (I say that and I'm no fan of Lykos)


Here's what I can't figure out about the whole Locke/Hotze psuedo-scandal....Is the problem that Hotze is anti-GLBT? Or that he's a Republican?...Judging from the tone of Casey's piece and the comments you'd think it's the latter. (The InterLeft especially not afraid to make a 'ghey' implication toward people as a put-down, especially Republicans)


Yesterday (on my Diigo feed, I noted that the important bit to this story was at the bottom and that critics of Perry would ignore that bit. So Charles Kuffner's attacks today should come as no surprise. (Here's where we agree: Perry was short-sighted to suspend collection of the tax back in 2008. We're paying for that now. However, accepting the Federal stimulus money would have been just as short sighted, and would have led to even larger tax increases once the $555 Million was gone. Two wrong's don't make a right, and so on and so on.)


Who knew that the over-restriction of signs could lead to a depressed economy? Certainly not Houston, who's trying to copy Irving's ordinance. *An ordinance that's been described as "world class" when it was debated.* (story via Charles Kuffner)


Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. (Alternate title: Yes, we think you're stupid so just accept our weak explenation and move along.)


When a tax is better than a manipulated, artificial government-controlled 'free-market' system. (On the downside, Al Gore and his investors won't get rich.)


Yesterday the Texas Tribune gave the Democrats a forum for irrational exuberance, Today it's the Republican's turn. (The Republican reliance on "their built-in advantage" is, to me, a huge mistake. They've shaved off a lot of that advantage due to general incompetence and poor leadership. As bad as Texas Democrats are (and, from a National perspective they're pretty bad) It's possible that Texas Repubicans are worse.)*






*One of the unique fallacies of politics is the lack of most politicians to recognize real talent. Because of this politicians such as Bill White and Rick Perry (neither of which are especially talented managers) are risen through the ranks and held up as political wunderkinds when, in fact, they're both quite average. Since there's little real talent in both Texas politics and among the pundits, average politicos are often elevated well beyond the actual talent ceiling.