Althouse: Another evening in Texas.

April 2, 2007

Another evening in Texas.

16 comments:

Troy said...: That might be the single best photograph you have ever taken.; 4/2/07, 7:22 PM
Fen said...: Damn I miss Texas.; 4/2/07, 8:04 PM
Titus said...: Damn I wouldn't want to live in Texas.; 4/2/07, 8:16 PM
Fen said...: Damn I wouldn't want to live in Texas.

[shrug] Many of your fellow New Englanders have disagreed, with their feet.; 4/2/07, 8:28 PM
Eli Blake said...: Yeah, I lived in Corpus Christi for a year and was very glad to leave.

Two facts about Texas (both in the treaty whereby Texas gave up its independence and became a U.S. state):

1. Texas is the only state that by law has the right to fly its state flag at the same height as the U.S. flag, if there are two adjacent flagpoles.

2. Texas has the right any time it decides to, to separate itself into at least five other states (which if it did, would give it eight more U.S. Senators).

One unique memory I have of Texas was coming into the town of Ballinger there is a huge metal cross, that you believe is a statue (towering about 300 feet, way above the trees and low hills around it.) Once you drive past it a few times you realize that it must be hollow and is the roof of a church. I've always wondered what happened when lightning hits it-- they must feel the spirit just surging around them.

Another memory I have-- one time I was in a supermarket (an H.E.B.) in Corpus Christi, and the guy behind me tapped me in line and pointed to a man who had just walked out of an office and told me that the man was H. E. Butt-- the owner and founder of H.E.B. (now you know why he uses his initials)-- and dang, he looked like the stereotype of a Texan-- he was wearing a bolo tie with what looked to be a big jewel, sunglasses, western garb with a big gaudy belt buckle and Tony Llama boots. He was also fat and was chomping on a cigar. About all that was missing was the ten gallon hat, but I'm sure he must have left it on the seat of his Cadillac out in the parking lot.

But yeah, I don't miss Texas enough to want to go back there any time real soon. I certainly don't miss stuff like all the murders and drugs and the prison gangs (there was a man in Corpus Christi who had gotten on their bad side, and a couple of them had bound him and gotten a knife and cut him into very small pieces, a piece at a time beginning with his toes and working on up his body. There are definitely some bad hombres there.; 4/2/07, 8:51 PM
Titus said...: I have heard many New Englanders go to Texas, along with Florida, to retire...and then die.

I do like Whataburger though and the Niemies in Dallas is fabulous if you can ignore the hair.

I just don't like living somewhere where I have to drive. I am into the subway.; 4/2/07, 9:56 PM
Gahrie said...: I just don't like living somewhere where I have to drive.

Now that is downright unamerican. I suppose you hate your mother and apple pie too?

(that's a joke son, I say a joke...); 4/2/07, 10:00 PM
dave said...: Meanwhile, over at Firedoglake:

It has now been six days since the Lesser Perfesser announced that she was going to say no more about her Bloggingheads-TV meltdown, and yet she has managed to mention it every single day since then. She insists, however, that she has said all she had to say about that and about Jessica Valenti and the Clinton Blogger Lunch. She's, like, over it. Done. Not talking about it anymore.

Except, you know, when she is...

Blithering Misogynist Idiot: the Biggest Joke on the Internet.

Bar none!; 4/2/07, 10:20 PM
Simon said...: The wind just caught the flag perfectly, didn't it?

Dave reminds me - everyone got a glass of something alcoholic? Remember, drink two fingers for the left... So to speak.; 4/2/07, 10:31 PM
Eli Blake said...: Boston and Gahrie:

Well, one good argument in favor of a subway I heard today on the radio is that there is a direct negative correlation between the availability of public transit and the drunk driving rate. I heard it this afternoon on the Albuquerque radio (which we get here in AZ), and people in New Mexico should know-- for a long time it was the drunk driving capitol of the world, though they've managed to get it down some. Some still means they have a huge problem with it.

Also, Boston70: I know you can get Whataburger in New Mexico and in metro Phoenix. So you don't have to go to Texas for it.

One other thing I don't miss about Texas: It rains 30 inches per year in Corpus Christi, and the year I lived there we got about that. Only, 18 of them were between October 9 and October 11. I'm just glad I bought a Toyota-- that car was partially submerged (and also had been in an accident before that) and I was still able to drive it for 200,000 miles-- though for a week after that every time I'd hit the brake water that was still trapped under the seat would come up and hit me in the back of the foot.; 4/2/07, 11:32 PM
Fen said...: Meanwhile, over at Firedoglake: we're still obsessively fixated on Althouse

No really?

boston70 I just don't like living somewhere where I have to drive

Thats a fair complaint. I worked up in Phili for awhile, and it was nice to be metropolitan - walk out my hotel room, drop by the coffee shop on my way to work, arrive in 5 minutes. Very nice.

OTOH, the things I hate about Maryland: there's no alternate east-west route above the beltway, there's not always a gas station within 5 miles of any exit.; 4/3/07, 6:57 AM
MadisonMan said...: What a nice blue sky. I bet the stars at night are clear and bright.

Meanwhile, in Madison, it's rain rain rain. And it's supposed to snow tonight. You picked a good week to amscray.; 4/3/07, 7:34 AM
Titus said...: I am definitely not "anticar" that would be pc and stupid. I just get into the subway and enjoy being able to walk around a city to get where I want to go.

I love getting in my car and driving "outside" the city. Nothing better than getting in your car and driving on the open road.

Driving in a city tends to be a pain in the neck and there is nowhere to park which drives me nuts. I generally am able to get somewhere quicker by subway or feet. Also, the people watching tends to be much more interesting by foot or subway than by sitting in your car.; 4/3/07, 8:33 AM
bill said...: Bill Hicks on David Koresh and Austin, Tx:

I was in Australia and the Australians had a big contingency at the Branch Davidian compound and I'm from Texas, so they were very curious. They were asking me all about it.

Oh, this guy's so weird...

And I was thinking, well, wait a minute. Frustrated rock musician, with a messianic complex, armed to the teeth, and trying to f*** everything that moves. I don't know how to tell you this, sounds like everyone of my friends in Austin. I don't know if this is going to be an isolated incident. I'm waiting for Will Sexton to build a compound somewhere.

WIll Sexton link.

Let me know if you're going to San Antonio, because I've got Albert Brooks opening for Richie Havens.; 4/3/07, 8:41 AM
Jim Howard said...: "Texas is the only state that by law has the right to fly its state flag at the same height as the U.S. flag, if there are two adjacent flagpoles."

That's correct, and it is because The Republic of Texas was recognized worldwide as an independant country who joined the United States as an equal. The Texas flag enjoys precisidence over those of the lesser states of the Union.; 4/3/07, 9:18 AM
Fen said...: That's correct, and it is because The Republic of Texas was recognized worldwide as an independant country who joined the United States as an equal.

And for a time, the Txas constitution allowed for the state to secede from the Union at will. Wish that option was still available, LOL.

Boston: I am definitely not "anticar"...Driving in a city tends to be a pain in the neck and there is nowhere to park which drives me nuts.

Oh I agree completely; I'm not trying to razz you here. Right now I'm 15 mins from metro, and take it every AM [45 mins] to DC. Going to have to move closer, and not excited about buying a 1,500 sqft beat up condo in DC for 500,000 and no parking, or getting mugged while walking home from work - there are some parts of DC that are "no-go" zones, just like in Paris.

Seems like if you want to cut down on the C02 footprint commute, a good approach would include reductions in suburban commutes that lower housing prices and reduce crime closer in. Not me [metro] but I have co-workers who spend 2 hrs a day smogging up the city to and from home.; 4/3/07, 10:00 AM