Ag with kids

Here's some food porn from Per Se as a peace offering....

If I didn't like trees and hills with snow, so what? I'd rather go back and spend a few more weeks in the Azores on Terceira (where my parents met) and Sao Miguel and maybe hit a few of the other islands I didn't get to than go to NYC. Or to a beach in the Caribbean. Or go tour Europe, especially the places that were off limits when I was growing up there. When I lived in DFW I would have picked going to Ft Worth over Dallas 100 times out of 100. I just don't like the big city feel. Maybe that's why I like Corpus and moved here (well, I moved to NPI, but...). It's not a big city. I get it though. You like NYC. Great! I'm sincerely glad you like it!!! I hope you get to go back many times.

When there are so many places for me to go, NYC is just not high on my list to return to. I hope you enjoy it there. I understand folks really enjoy it. Great for them. I just had a meh time. It's just not my kind of place to go. So, no need to go back. Sorry that my malaise towards big cities upsets you...

Fair enough...But, having grown up seeing history from A LONG TIME AGO, it's not the same... I liked visiting Boston and seeing all the history and buildings that were there because they really showed the OLD history. They really have done a good job of preserving the old stuff. Maybe NYC has a a bunch of places like that. But, not enough to navigate the rest of it FOR ME. Hell, London has done away with a lot of the old history...Seeing the clusterfuck that has been built up around the Tower of London and all the older ruins back in 2016 made me sad. You have to understand. The town I lived in when I was a kid has a church that was built in 1300 (that I went to as a child). The Officer's Club on base was an old priory built in 1050. When I went to Stonehenge, there was nothing around...just a small sign that said "Stonehenge". And there it was...in the middle of a field. We parked right next to it and walked all over and around it. We DID NOT cause the European Vacation accident, though (we were there 10+ years earlier). Then I lived in the country in N Texas for 20 years. Cities are meh to me. Some people love mountains. Some people love beaches. Some people love the country. Some people love cities. I'm the beach guy. Hence why I moved to N Padre.... I'm not crapping on NYC or anyone who likes going there or who loves the city. I just gave MY view on it...

Meh...I'm not really a city kind of guy. NYC is just a big city with tall buildings to me. Yes, I get it. The food, the culture, etc. I grew up overseas. If I go to a city, I want to see real history - Paris has that. London has that (I remember going when the IRA was car bombing there). Of course, I've been to both numerous times, so if I had a choice, I'd go somewhere else. Too much to see in the world and not enough time...That's why I don't need to go back to NYC. New Orleans is one of my exceptions on a US city I'd like to continue going to...but it's one of the very few. BTW, I did eat an AMAZING meal at Per Se when I was in NYC and they gave us a window seat overlooking Central Park, so that was nice.

Nope. It was blocked all day yesterday. Haven't checked today. That's why they were complaining...NPI has a LOT of people on it that have handicapped plates/placards - bunch of old retirees here.

There's been some discussion between. some folks I know here on NPI about ADA non-compliance. Since the beach is officially open, anyone can get on there. However, you can't drive onto it. Which means that disabled people are being denied access to the beach (for instance, my GF just got total knee replacement 3 weeks ago, walking to and down the beach is basically an impossibility). Doubt anything will come of it, but it was something I hadn't thought of...

My point is that BOTH matter... Your community may have local goals that most people agree on. But, that same community may not agree politically. Why should you impose one standard on them at the state and federal level when most of their day to day issues are local?

I wasn't assuming you're a Democrat. I assumed you were the same Huckleberry from Hornfans. IIRC, you're a center slightly right guy (I didn't assume the wrong gender, did I, if so, I'd genuflect to you, well, nah, not really). I was just emphasizing my earlier point. The bitching about gerrymandering started back then... My position hasn't changed since the late 90s (and @Bozo_Casanova) has been there so he knows (even though he's bastardizing my position now).

It's more complicated than you're stating and you know it...

Hah. Ok. I understand that when your team is losing, changing the rules to your benefit sounds awesome. I just find it funny that gerrymandering in TX was NEVER a problem until 2001. I have no problem with making districts in a state that end up representing the statewide voting results. I also think the districts should reflect the people in the district. Part of the problem is the federal mandate that states have to have X number of majority minority districts. THAT is one of the biggest problems that forces these stupid district lines...

@Bozo_Casanova While I appreciate your efforts to suck me back into the cluster fuck known as Politics here, I have never advocated nor supported what you quoted, nor do I think it's a good idea. In fact, in our last exchange, I'm pretty sure I explained that point. I do agree that if a state votes mostly X party, then their state and federal Representatives should reflect that. In Texas, the state votes mostly GOP. All statewide offices are headed by GOP officials. Both Senators are GOP. The state votes GOP for POTUS. Why wouldn't the state and federal representatives also reflect that? [EDIT: In fact, this issue came up in 2000-2001 due to the DEMOCRATS' previous gerrymandering so much that the GOP was underrepresented in Congress and the State House] I'm sure there's a better process than what we use today. But, this is the process that's been in place for a LONG time in Texas. I also understand that gerrymandering in Texas is now a HUGE issue to the left now that the 120 years of Democrat gerrymandering has been over since 2001, though...

Why not? Have you been to N Padre Island/PINS?

If they do it like NPI, the answer will be zero. They block the entrance to most of the access roads and unless your golf cart can drive over dunes, you're not getting on the beach. Hell, here on NPI it only takes about 6 cops to guard total entry to the beach by vehicle...

Vehicular access is HUGE. If you can't drive to the beach, it's not an easy walk and there's nowhere to park your car. There's only a few places that are right on the beach on NPI. The rest really do require a vehicle to get to...

If someone is coming down to the beach this weekend, I think that the fact that it's closed is slightly more than inconsequential.... Just giving out info..

And.... Boss Canales strikes again.... NUECES COUNTY, Texas — Effective immediately, all beaches within Nueces County will have a curfew from now until July 11 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Vehicular access prohibited from July 3 at 6 a.m. to July 7 at 6 a.m. This includes golf carts and all terrain vehicles. RV Parks at IB Magee and Parde Balli Park will remain open for campers, but no one will be allowed to drive on the beach.🙄

It's always a shit show over July 4th, both in Port A and NPI. Now that I live on NPI I wish there was a better way for folks to get to Port A without having to cross the causeway...of course, we locals make sure there's no reason to go OTB then so we don't have to deal with that clusterfuck... But...just remember...when you get here...you're on island time...and relax.

I've got a trip planned over Christmas to Sint Maarten. I've got the condo all booked with a timeshare we inherited (so, didn't have to pay for it haha). We live in Corpus now so flying out of here is prohibitively expensive. I checked around SAT, AUS, DFW and then IAH...IAH was $800/pp cheaper for the flight than the others. Since the flight is at 0530 on Saturday, we'll head from Corpus to IAH and stay at the Marriott at the airport and fly out in the morning. I had 2 e-certificates so that Friday is free and when we get back, that night is free too. Now I've got to buy the tickets from IAH - SXM. They're $1800 (total) or 320K AA pts. I've got 330K so I'm good there, but is that a good deal (it's about $0.006/AA point). I kind of hate to completely drain all the points, too, but... I also found a flight from CRP-IAH for $300/pp so we could save the 4 hr drive after work. I'm looking at both MR points or cash to pay for those via AMEX Travel. My worry about using AA or MR points is if this CV bullshit spikes again next year and I have to cancel everything, will I be able to get a full refund of points (or money if I book cash through AMEX). What do you travel experts advise?

Last I heard on NPI is that we'll keep the beach open but go back to the earlier social distancing restrictions. However, Judge Canales has been enjoying her new found power here in Corpus so who knows what she'll do next week. But the beach is open now...

Yep. That's how they're acting As a side note, Scuttlebutt's is opening up Saturday.

I understand...that's why when we had the opportunity a couple years ago to move here, we jumped in and never looked back. Island life is just...peaceful.

My one thought is to get your reservation ASAP. My condo is booked solid for the summer here on NPI as are all of my buddy's...

Define Padre... I live on N Padre Island which is part of Corpus. Are you talking South Padre? I will say that N Padre/Port A have been pretty packed all year (condos normally don't rent much in April but they were all rented this year). I've heard from my cousin who has a condo on SPI that it's been pretty busy there, too.

Scuttlebutts and Surfside Sandwich on NPI just closed. Someone at Scuttlebutts tested positive, same case as above - same owner, shared employees. The Slip/Pelican closed due to TABC from what I understand. Not following guidelines... Beach still open though.