I will be so happy once the Texas primary season ends, having been lengthened by the run-off between David Dewhurst and Ted Cruz. Even then, I am thankful that I will not hear and see every single Republican candidate fall over each other trying to out-conservative themselves at every commercial break. The amount of ads portraying this line of thought got so ridiculous there for a while, with former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert being the worse political hack of them all. He had the audacity to say that "you know what happened the last time a empty-suit was sent to the White House." But the funny thing is, it could be said that the reason the country is where it is economically and politically, is because of his fellow conservative, George W. Bush, an empty-suit in the truest sense.
With this said, I challenge any Texas Republican to avoid a I'm-more-conservative-than-you approach and not bring up any anti-Obama sentiment that's all the rage these days. Dewhurst's newest ad has him saying that "Obama doesn't understand business." Well, probably not, since he's not a businessman, but what happened the last time a businessman was in the White House? See the the previous paragraph. I'm just saying.
Yes, I tend to lean left, but I would like to see these candidates stay on the issues, provide positive ideas, and look past the usual derision. I doubt it can be done.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Belated thoughts on Dick Clark's death
I always think about my grandmother whenever I hear about Dick Clark. In my mind, the two are linked and will be forever. For me, I do not think it was just happenstance that Dick Clark passed away within days of my grandmother's birthday. Like millions of Americans, I grew up watching American Bandstand with the ever-youthful Dick Clark as host. But the show itself does not provide the direct link between my grandmother and Mr. Clark.
My mother told me years ago that her mother and Dick Clark were the same age. Hearing that blew my impressionable young mind: "So the guy who does the weekly Top 10 and hosts New Year's Rockin' Eve is the same age as the lady who serves me frijoles and fresh gorditas whenever I come over? Awesome!"
The connection does not end there.
We spent many New Years Eves at my grandmother's. All of us cousins popped fireworks while my grandmother and aunts cooked tamales, buñuelos and hot chocolate (not the cocoa from a package, but homemade Mexican chocolate with cinnamon sticks and etc!). The cousins and I usually took a break from the cuetes to munch on a tamal or two, some buñuelos and chocolate while we watched the ball drop live from NYC's Times Square. And again there was Dick Clark reminding me that he and my grandmother were born in the same year.
Unfortunately, my grandmother has not been in the best of health lately. She paid a visit to the ER a week after burying an older sister. Nothing major, but the cough she's had since has not gone away, eerily similar to how her sister passed. Her waning health is on our minds.
Like a good nieto, I called to wish my grandmother a happy birthday a few weeks back: her oldest grandchild called his only remaining grandmother. It was great to chat with her for a bit. Upon hearing about Dick Clark's passing a few days later, I could not help but think of my grandmother: thankful that she's still here and also thinking of all the Dick Clark related memories I have of her.
Thank you Dick Clark and muchísimas gracias Grandma!
My mother told me years ago that her mother and Dick Clark were the same age. Hearing that blew my impressionable young mind: "So the guy who does the weekly Top 10 and hosts New Year's Rockin' Eve is the same age as the lady who serves me frijoles and fresh gorditas whenever I come over? Awesome!"
The connection does not end there.
We spent many New Years Eves at my grandmother's. All of us cousins popped fireworks while my grandmother and aunts cooked tamales, buñuelos and hot chocolate (not the cocoa from a package, but homemade Mexican chocolate with cinnamon sticks and etc!). The cousins and I usually took a break from the cuetes to munch on a tamal or two, some buñuelos and chocolate while we watched the ball drop live from NYC's Times Square. And again there was Dick Clark reminding me that he and my grandmother were born in the same year.
Unfortunately, my grandmother has not been in the best of health lately. She paid a visit to the ER a week after burying an older sister. Nothing major, but the cough she's had since has not gone away, eerily similar to how her sister passed. Her waning health is on our minds.
Like a good nieto, I called to wish my grandmother a happy birthday a few weeks back: her oldest grandchild called his only remaining grandmother. It was great to chat with her for a bit. Upon hearing about Dick Clark's passing a few days later, I could not help but think of my grandmother: thankful that she's still here and also thinking of all the Dick Clark related memories I have of her.
Thank you Dick Clark and muchísimas gracias Grandma!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Crazy South Texas Storms
Severe storms rocked the Texas Coastal Bend early this morning that not only dropped an amazing amount of rainfall, but a few tornadoes as well. Upwards of 15" inches of rain fell in portions of eastern San Patricio county and the NWS Corpus Christi office surveyed damage for at least 4 tornadoes in essentially the same area. Tornado warnings were also posted further south in the Kingsville area but no tornadoes have not been confirmed by the local NWS survey team.
Area roads and highways were closed due to flooding around and through Gregory and Bayside, including HWY 181, a vital artery linking the towns north of Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays to Corpus Christi proper.
While pictures of stalled cars and people wading through thigh-high water are disheartening, seeing 2x4 planks stuck in the sides of homes-- put there by an EF-1 tornado, that is impressive.
Area roads and highways were closed due to flooding around and through Gregory and Bayside, including HWY 181, a vital artery linking the towns north of Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays to Corpus Christi proper.
While pictures of stalled cars and people wading through thigh-high water are disheartening, seeing 2x4 planks stuck in the sides of homes-- put there by an EF-1 tornado, that is impressive.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
A couple quick hits
- Looks the economic outlook is getting worse in Europe with Spain in the middle of the turmoil. Paul Krugman believes the Spanish problem is not necessarily a home-grown issue but one that came from bad bank loans from German banks. It's amazing to see how much influence banks have over countries, and invariably, people.
- It's amazing what back-to-back World Series appearances does to a fan base. Never have I and my family and friends kept up with the Texas Rangers with so much vigor so early in the season. I caught myself cheering out loud to an inning-ending double-play in the Rangers' 4-3 win over Minnesota this afternoon: fist pump and everything! Not only that, I've exchanged several Rangers-related text messages during almost every game so far this season at almost the same pace as last season's postseason. One of my best friends, a fellow long-time Rangers fan, has said that he usually doesn't get excited about the season until around the All-Star break but has found himself intently following them so early. For me, following Jamey Newberg's analysis has kept my Rangers interest locked-in from the post-World Series disappointment through to the start of the season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)