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  • I think that it’s now safe to say that we Texans now live in a failed state.  30 years of GOP rule, setting our own standard, living the “Texas Dream,” which they’ve bragged about relentlessly…and let’s see where we are:

    A majority of the state in complete failure, unable to deliver the most BASIC of services (things that are called “utilities,” not “luxuries,” for a reason).  No power.  No water.  No means of clearing roads (that one, I can’t fault the state so much….but it wouldn’t be as big a crisis if people weren’t stuck in their homes with no power and water).  So citizens are stuck in their homes, some of them dying there. 

    Water resource planning?  After pretending for decades that a drought would never happen again, and not doing ANYTHING to develop resources in the state water plan (a document actually developed using science and mathematical projections), we had several locations, including actual cities, down to a few days of water supply.  We’ve finally gotten on our horse a bit, but it may be too late if the next drought comes anytime soon.  

    State rank in key categories:

    Education – 34

    Health Care - 37

    Infrastructure - 33

    Opportunity - 39

    Environment - 44

    Infrastructure - 33 

    In overall quality of life ranking by US News, we are now #38, down from #36 just two years ago.  At that rate, we’ll be in the bottom 3 within ten years.

    We are SUPER independent, and FUCK the feds….but we have requested federal disaster assistance more than any other state in the past decade or so.

    But hey, our economy is ranked #15!

    That’s right, we have a “roaring economy” and the “Texas Miracle!”  But we can’t deliver the basics for our citizens.  The economy is VERY efficient at funneling bazillions to the very few…..with little of it “trickling down” to most Texans.  Yeah, the people on this board generally do fine, but face the facts – we’re the top 10% or so.  We are educated, older, and fortunate.

    Our federal system allows for state-by-state experiments.  Texas is the poster child for near anarcho-capitalism and zero regulation or oversight.  We have tested that approach, for over a generation now (30 years of Republican rule).  That approach is a failure.  The evidence is undeniable, and overwhelming.  It doesn’t matter how many River Oaks millionaires you produce if the rest of your people are dying in their homes.  Shit, some of those River Oaks millionaires might be freezing to death today, too.

    The kids of a middle class family can hardly afford to go to a good state school.  Their prospects for employment are mediocre.  Their prospects of suffering crippling medical debt at some point are significant.  Their chances of not having basic utilities needed for life safety at some point – all but certain.  Their chances of becoming ill or dying from a pollution-caused illness are material.

    What’s the result?  Our leaders have sold Texas as a paradise – move here!  Bring your business here!  And some businesses have done so, adding opportunity…..but providing little to no tax support for the infrastructure we all depend on.  To the contrary, over the past few years, I know more and more people – educated people, people who can do their jobs elsewhere, who are looking to bail on this state.  It’s people with young kids, who want them to grow up in a better place.  It’s people in their working years, who simply want a better path.  It’s retirees, who want a safe and secure place to live.

    We have consumed our seed stock.  We have burned through our reserves.  We are now consuming ourselves.  The ability to pitch Texas as the land of opportunity is done.  Seeing what we have become, the tentative thought/plan my wife and I had of wrapping up our careers here and then getting the hell out of Dodge is becoming much more concrete.  My children are already unlikely to make their future in this state.  Now we are, too.

    But the response from the Republican leadership and their sycophants – “how are you gonna pay for it?  Taxes?  That’s socialism!  You want that stuff, you have to pay for it!”

    Fuck yes I do, and I’m okay with that.  I want groceries…so I have to pay HEB.  I want a car…so I have to pay Ford.  I want clothes…..so I have to pay Dillards.  I want my population educated….so I have to pay the school district.  I want electricity, with enough capacity to keep us running when we need it…..so I have to pay my bill, maybe with a capacity surcharge.  I want water to come out of the taps….so I have to pay for development of resources and maintenance of infrastructure.  I want roads….so I pay taxes to build and maintain them.  YES, I have to pay for all of those things, and “nothing is free” – no fucking shit.  So, let’s pay for it.  We have the #15 economy….we HAVE the funds in this state.  An economy with the flow of funds that ours has can produce and maintain all of those results.  But we have chosen a different path; funnel all the dollars to the top, and spend next to nothing for the public good.  We have privatized profit….we have socialized the costs.  And we are dying because of it.

    My fellow Texans are dying in their homes….and there’s nothing I can do about it today.  And I am enraged.

    I love Texas.  I am 6th generation here.  My ancestors have Texas historical markers on their graves.  We helped make this state, and this state helped make us.  It educated us (back when college was affordable).  But it’s time to face the fact – this state is a failure, and on its current path, with its current leadership and philosophy, it will only get worse.  This state has a terrible future, unless we dramatically change our path.   Chances of that happening?  0.0% -- because we’ll continue to vote for the guys who make our leadership priorities bathroom bills, and transgender sports, and requiring the national anthem be played at certain events.  Any bill that has been proposed to improve emergency preparedness of gov’t entities has been crushed by the Republicans controlling the lege….but we will definitely stick with those guys.  No taxes.  No government functionality.

    What we are seeing happening right now is our system working EXACTLY AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND INTENDED TO WORK.  And we will, I guarantee it, collectively decide to stick with that.  This state is in free-fall, and anyone with eyes can see it.  And anyone with a brain is starting to think of ways to make their life elsewhere.  It breaks my goddamned heart to see us commit collective suicide, but here we are.

     

     


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    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    Attorney General Ken Paxton recently testified before the State Senate Finance Committee that his office had to hire outside lawyers on a contingency-fee basis, with rates as high as $3,780 per hour, because his office lacked appropriated funds. #txlege

     

    Hungry Dinner GIF

    • Like 2
    Updawg

    Posted

    Must be expensive trying to find anyone that wants to work for the asshole

    • Like 3
    Pato del Muerto

    Posted

    Tx doge gonna be all over that for sure

    InkaUtexas

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    Tx doge gonna be all over that for sure

    @3500 an hour.

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1
    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    16 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    Also Herpes and HPV

    but you expect those

    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    Macanudo

    Posted

    19 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    Also Herpes and HPV

    Regular herp or the dreaded Simplex 10 variant?

    • Haha 3
    Bozo_Casanova

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

    Regular herp or the dreaded Simplex 10 variant?

    At the Twin Peaks in San Marcos?

    image.png.ddfefc74d2c6f61ce7c3539732e06e53.png

    • Like 1
    • Haha 8
    miguelito

    Posted

    Another case (same person?) at UTSA and riverwalk.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    InkaUtexas

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, miguelito said:

    Another case (same person?) at UTSA and riverwalk.

    Looks they went to a lot of places.

    A Northwest Texas resident who has tested positive for measles potentially exposed University of Texas at San Antonio students and other residents while visiting San Antonio earlier this month.

    The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District said the Gaines County resident tested positive for the virus and traveled to multiple locations here on Feb. 15, including UTSA's main campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.

    Afterwards, the traveler visited the Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Ripley’s Illusion Lab near the Alamo between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. For dinner, the visitor dined at Mr. Crabby's Seafood and Bar in Live Oak between 6 and 8 p.m.

    Earlier Sunday, The Hays County Health Department announced that an Gaines County resident with measles visited San Marcos from 3 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 14., entering several Texas State University buildings and spending the evening at the sports bar Twin Peaks. 

    Public health officials urge those who visited these places to review their vaccine records and monitor themselves for symptoms for four to 21 days after initial exposure.

    https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/measles-exposure-in-san-marcos-20183421.php

    tx 3 putt

    Posted (edited)

    19 hours ago, Constant said:

    I’ve always said nothing is more important than identifying and eliminating waste. And I can’t think of a better entity to handle that task than the….

    *checks notes*
     

    Republicans that have been in total control of the state government for over 30 years. 

     

    as always, desantis / FL is ahead of abbott on this .... 

    doge focused on university 'waste' with desantis as the lead 

     

    DeSantis also said all state universities will be audited for what he calls any unnecessary spending and classes that don't need to be taught.

    https://www.wesh.com/article/florida-desantis-doge-task-force/63903133

     

    Edited by tx 3 putt
    wildcat09

    Posted

    This seems fine:

     

    Pato del Muerto

    Posted

    No further updates so I assume it’s all contained and no additional infections will result.

    • Like 1
    • Haha 2
    Constant

    Posted

    18 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

    Looks they went to a lot of places.

    A Northwest Texas resident who has tested positive for measles potentially exposed University of Texas at San Antonio students and other residents while visiting San Antonio earlier this month.

    The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District said the Gaines County resident tested positive for the virus and traveled to multiple locations here on Feb. 15, including UTSA's main campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.

    Afterwards, the traveler visited the Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Ripley’s Illusion Lab near the Alamo between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. For dinner, the visitor dined at Mr. Crabby's Seafood and Bar in Live Oak between 6 and 8 p.m.

    Earlier Sunday, The Hays County Health Department announced that an Gaines County resident with measles visited San Marcos from 3 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 14., entering several Texas State University buildings and spending the evening at the sports bar Twin Peaks. 

    Public health officials urge those who visited these places to review their vaccine records and monitor themselves for symptoms for four to 21 days after initial exposure.

    https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/measles-exposure-in-san-marcos-20183421.php

    What kind of psychopath goes to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for three hours?

    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    7 minutes ago, Constant said:

    What kind of psychopath goes to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for three hours?

    Dunno but if you go to Ripley's on the River Walk in San Antonio you probably deserve to get Measles...and to be called fat by Charles Barkley 

     

    charles barkley snl GIF by Saturday Night Live

    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Haha 1
    Eskimohorn

    Posted

    Also Herpes and HPV

    giphy.gif
    Bullneck

    Posted

    Random thought: Pearl Beer was from the country of alebmhunert (give that a try) springs. 
    I wonder how many of those sprangs are still working.

    UTCzech III

    Posted

    10 minutes ago, Bullneck said:

    Random thought: Pearl Beer was from the country of alebmhunert (give that a try) springs. 
    I wonder how many of those sprangs are still working.

    Went to a lot of beer joints with my dad when I was a kid, was always hypnotized by these signs

     

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    • Drool 1
    bolverk

    Posted

    29 minutes ago, Bullneck said:

    Random thought: Pearl Beer was from the country of alebmhunert (give that a try) springs. 
    I wonder how many of those sprangs are still working.

    That word looks like a slangy, kind of a kids' way of saying "eleven hundred" in German or how it might sound like, but it got no hits on Google.

    image.png.8895264b44e391b57cdc17fde7202607.png

    • Hook 'Em 2
    InkaUtexas

    Posted

    On 2/24/2025 at 4:30 PM, Brisketexan said:

    I mean, that whole itinerary was one classy-ass weekend:

    Texas State campus tour

    Twin Peaks

    Buccee's (not listed, but word is he stopped there on the way to SA)

    UTSA campus tour

    Wax Museum

    Ripley's Believe it or Not!

    Ripley's Illusion Lab

    Mr. Crabby's Seafood

     

    Whoever that dude is, he's future leadership material for sure.

     

    At least he did not visit aggy. Oh wait, that was for sunday but he got the sniffles.

    Bullneck

    Posted

    7 hours ago, bolverk said:

    That word looks like a slangy, kind of a kids' way of saying "eleven hundred" in German or how it might sound like, but it got no hits on Google.

    image.png.8895264b44e391b57cdc17fde7202607.png

    Grandmother was first generation German immigrant from Nordheim/Orange Grove.  

    • Hook 'Em 1
    tx 3 putt

    Posted (edited)

    On 2/24/2025 at 4:30 PM, Brisketexan said:

    I mean, that whole itinerary was one classy-ass weekend:

    Texas State campus tour

    Twin Peaks

    Buccee's (not listed, but word is he stopped there on the way to SA)

    UTSA campus tour

    Wax Museum

    Ripley's Believe it or Not!

    Ripley's Illusion Lab

    Mr. Crabby's Seafood

     

    Whoever that dude is, he's future leadership material for sure.

     

     

    twin peaks, twice on valentine's day is a huge flex !

    Edited by tx 3 putt
    Ghost of NMAS

    Posted

    The Texas GOP is gearing up to gut the Texas Citizens Participation Act by making it easier for SLAPP suits to continue and easier to deny the defendants the right to recoup legal fees for frivolous lawsuits.  Once again the party of individual liberty is out to stifle the individuals rights in favor of corporate interests and the wealthy elite.  Of course this effort is being supported by Texans for Lawsuit Reform.

    • Rage+1 4
    bolverk

    Posted

    7 hours ago, Bullneck said:

    Grandmother was first generation German immigrant from Nordheim/Orange Grove.  

    Cool. I'm just curious if my wild guess was correct. Let me know what Alebmhunert means when you get the chance.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    Chad Fuck

    Posted

    At least he did not visit aggy. Oh wait, that was for sunday but he got the sniffles.

    Seems more like a Blinn guy.
     
    twin peaks, twice on valentine's day is a huge flex !

    One of those servers really liked him!
    UTCzech III

    Posted

    29 minutes ago, bolverk said:

    Cool. I'm just curious if my wild guess was correct. Let me know what Alebmhunert means when you get the chance.

     

    • Hook 'Em 5
    Bullneck

    Posted (edited)

    2 hours ago, bolverk said:

    Cool. I'm just curious if my wild guess was correct. Let me know what Alebmhunert means when you get the chance.

    1,100 (Eleven hundred). The old Pearl Beer slogan was "From the Country of 1,100 Springs."

    (Edit: UTCzech beat me to it.  UTCzech probably knows the Pavelka Brothers). 

    Edited by Bullneck
    • Hook 'Em 4
    Bateshorn

    Posted

    Pearl gave me the shits. 

    Real Housewives Of Atlanta Nene GIF by Bravo TV

    • Haha 1
    Brisketexan

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Bateshorn said:

    Pearl gave me the shits. 

    Real Housewives Of Atlanta Nene GIF by Bravo TV

    Ahem.

    • Haha 1
    South Austin

    Posted

    7 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

    Ahem.

    Fair. Sometimes I get the shits from reading your posts.

    • Haha 2
    Brisketexan

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

    Fair. Sometimes I get the shits from reading your posts.

    giphy.gif?cid=6c09b952eh6xl6oply864s8b3j

    Satchel

    Posted

    Measles cases now being reported in Rockwall County. One school age kid has died in west Texas. I guess we should brace ourselves for measles outbreak all over the state. This is so unnecessary.

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    Pescado_Rojo

    Posted

    48 minutes ago, Bateshorn said:

    Pearl gave me the shits. 

    Real Housewives Of Atlanta Nene GIF by Bravo TV

    Was it Pearl, or was it because you had 14 of them and followed it up with some 3 AM Taco Bell? 

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Haha 1
    Pato del Muerto

    Posted

    1100 springs has a great cover of “why you been gone so long”

    Longhorn_Fan68

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, Satchel said:

    Measles cases now being reported in Rockwall County. One school age kid has died in west Texas. I guess we should brace ourselves for measles outbreak all over the state. This is so unnecessary.

    oh, it's gonna get bad. I'm grateful that the people I care about also care about science and the well-being of their kids, so I don't think this will affect anyone I know personally. but it's gonna fuck up a lot of lives and it was preventable. i really don't know what else to say at this point

    Bateshorn

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

    Was it Pearl, or was it because you had 14 of them and followed it up with some 3 AM Taco Bell? 

    schitts creek lol GIF by CBC

    • Haha 3
    safe sex

    Posted (edited)

    7 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

    i really don't know what else to say at this point

    Sucks for the innocent kids. Can't force the parents to vaccinate. Fuck this shit

    Edited by safe sex
    • Hook 'Em 2
    Longhorn_Fan68

    Posted

    Just now, safe sex said:

    Sucks for the innocent kids. Can't force the parents to vaccinate. Fuck em, I guess?

    I mean, if their own parents can't be compelled to care, why should I? I still do, but it's because I'm a human with empathy and it sickens me anytime children are caught in the crossfire of stupid

    • Hook 'Em 8
    safe sex

    Posted

    Focus on the kids and people you can help. 

    C-Man

    Posted

    7516a9b88258e366f09867b775485612.jpg

    Better fit here

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    Brisketexan

    Posted

    55 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

    Was it Pearl, or was it because you had 14 of them and followed it up with some 3 AM Taco Bell? 

    39410551657d933361daf35a5b3199a3.gif

    40 minutes ago, safe sex said:

    Focus on the kids and people you can help. 

    No.  I'm done with that shit.  It's time for social chemotherapy.  Brutal, devastating chemo....because the only language assholes speak is pain.  So, let the universe speak to them in a way they understand.  If what it takes to get the assholes to grasp that maybe, just maybe, we live in a society and our actions impact other people, so maybe we perhaps might ought consider the impact on other people before we act, is the death of their children?  We crossed that rubicon a LONG time ago.  They are HAPPY to have dead kids stack up....so long as they are the kids of "the other."  Let the pain and awful loss bring itself home.

    Empathy is dead.  Coercion by pain is the only force in the universe with any remaining power.  

    I didn't make these rules.  I think they are insanely stupid and cruel.  But they are now engraved in stone.  Pretending they aren't is lying to yourself.

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    safe sex

    Posted

    K

    UTCzech III

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Bullneck said:

    1,100 (Eleven hundred). The old Pearl Beer slogan was "From the Country of 1,100 Springs."

    (Edit: UTCzech beat me to it.  UTCzech probably knows the Pavelka Brothers). 

    Which ones?  I knew some from Corpus, played in a polka band with George

    • Hook 'Em 2
    Bullneck

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, UTCzech III said:

    Which ones?  I knew some from Corpus, played in a polka band with George

    That would be them (Robstown https://www.jbpavelkainc.com/ ).

    This would be where:

    pxl_20210522_181159080.mp_.thumb.webp.767fa00ade925763bd357ee4bb184436.webp

     

    • Hook 'Em 1
    UTCzech III

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, Bullneck said:

    That would be them (Robstown https://www.jbpavelkainc.com/ ).

    This would be where:

    pxl_20210522_181159080.mp_.thumb.webp.767fa00ade925763bd357ee4bb184436.webp

     

    Played there a few times back in the day, good hall

    • Hook 'Em 1
    UTCzech III

    Posted

    9 minutes ago, Bullneck said:

    That would be them (Robstown https://www.jbpavelkainc.com/ ).

    This would be where:

    pxl_20210522_181159080.mp_.thumb.webp.767fa00ade925763bd357ee4bb184436.webp

     

    Sorry if this is huge, actually played with two members, George Pavelka and Mark Rebecek

    IMG_2671.jpeg

    • Hook 'Em 6
    • Like 1



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