Posted 9/28/2011 05:18:00 PM by Douglas

The state of Texas, in all her infinite wisdom, has decided to destory one of 26 remaining Parker Truss bridges in the state. So in spite of spanning the river for 71 years, being listed by the National Parks Service on its National Registry of Historic Places for 15, it had been heavily salted and poorly maintained for most of those years, and TxDOT is going to replace it with a cheap, easy, and utterly charmless pre-cast concrete span. Is it any surprise they went with the absolute cheapest option?

Something tells me if this bridge in Austin were as poorly maintained and set for the wrecking ball, there would be a huge backlash of support to preserve these beautiful landmarks. But nobody care what happens out in the provinces. I'm sure they'll live to regret their decision, as the people in Collingsworth county already do.

There's all kinds of pictures of the bridge on FlicR, but I really like this one. I would like to know this guy's story.

Posted 9/25/2011 06:42:00 PM by Douglas

What was the joke from the debates last week, recycled from the Carter jokes from the 70s? What's it called when your neighbor loses his job? Recession. What's it called when you lose your job? Depression. What's it called when Obama loses his job? Recovery.

Well anyway, here's the endeavor of some opportunistic recruiting companies that have set up shop around the corner from JSC's front gate:

Easy pickins for a whole bunch of NASA workers that are about to hit the bread lines. But it's not like we didn't see this coming. To quote NASA director Bolden from last spring:

Our contractor workforce stands to bear the brunt of the adverse impacts that will result from this trajectory change in the road ahead, but we will stand by them and help in every way we can to ease the pain of employees needing to transition to other areas of the aerospace industry or even out of our industry. As I have said to all of you before, I can't possibly know how you feel right now because I don't have kids still at home trying to get out of high school or college, but I can empathize with your situation and do all in my power to compassionately help you deal with your personal situations.

Thanks for nuthin', Charlie. Keep in mind NASA's budget will remain largely unchanged at $18.7 Billion, while at the same time laying off over 6,000 contractors in Texas and Alabama and cancelling two huge programs, Constellation and Shuttle. So where is the money going? Why doesn't anyone know the answer to that question?

Posted 9/21/2011 09:35:00 PM by Douglas

This commercial is over the top. And if the results of this poll about it is any indication, say hello to your next president. I wouldn't have thought he was that electable, but when the leftys at the editorial board of The New York Times are saying how not even they are buying into his bullshit, he might want to ratchet up his campaign bullshit.

Posted 9/14/2011 10:18:00 PM by Douglas

These are strange days in the Lone Star State. Texas has suffered record drought all year, record heat, and hundreds of thousands of acres destroyed by welfare. But no one saw this one coming: feral monkey attacks.

The runaway wildfire that's been declared the worst in East Texas history after destroying dozens of homes and scorching 19,000 acres was expected to be a major challenge.

But authorities never dreamed they also would be chasing runaway monkeys.

Ten small Capuchin monkeys from South America, popularized by such movies as Pirates of the Caribbean, were freed from their cages in a monkey wildlife sanctuary in Waller County last week when the couple running the establishment was ordered to evacuate.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Posted 9/12/2011 10:01:00 PM by Douglas

Interesting, if not overwrought insight to other professions. I like the "E" section:

E is for Engineer
"I wish children could understand how much fun I have."
I am an engineer. Most people are scientifically and mathematically illiterate. Consequently, most people cannot fathom how much pleasure and delight I derive from my work. Of course I am also lucky to have a great job with great coworkers. But the pleasure of analyzing, say, the overall efficiency of a combined heat and power facility is hard to describe.

Well, this is partially true. My wife actually gets irritated that I never mind going to work. She does not feel exactly the same about her job.

I also wish children could understand how much fun I have. Because we need more engineers in this country for sure if we hope to remain globally competitive.

Yep, sounds about right, for a pretentious, self-absorbed asshole that's not nearly as smart as he thinks he is.

Posted 9/08/2011 05:24:00 PM by Douglas

This looks like a tasty burger. I love it when life imitates SNL:



Taco Town!!!!

Posted 9/08/2011 05:12:00 PM by Douglas

Caption this photo:

"Ron, I know you're the only real conservative on the stage, but if you mention Texas one more time I'm going to break off your hand, comb my great looking hair with your limp fingers and shove it up your Libertarian ass. WOOP!"

Posted 9/08/2011 05:03:00 PM by Douglas

Never before have I wanted to be a Texas Aggie so bad in my life. No, not because they're a bunch of brainwashed Houston suburbanite cult members or small town farmers with a GED. No, but because in their black or white (it's always white) universe, they can always have it both ways. Take for example, what the A&M President and ironic neckwear model Loftin said a year ago after Nebraska and Colorado left the Big 12 and they feigned off interest in a "Texas" version of the Longhorn Network:

Let me be clear: This decision was made in the best interests of Texas A&M and was not made in haste. As I mentioned to the Faculty Senate Monday afternoon, our top consideration was the demands placed on our student-athletes, in terms of academics, time away from the classroom, and the overall level of competition. There were also many other factors considered, including maintaining Texas A&M's strong foothold in the State of Texas and preserving our natural athletic rivalries, many of which date back more than 100 years. And, ultimately, by remaining a member of the Big 12, we were able to more than double our financial return to the levels being offered by other conferences.

Ok, sounds pretty sincere, even for an aggie in a bowtie. Now fast forward to today:

Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin said the Big 12's threats to force the Aggies into staying in the Big 12 were un-American. "We are being held hostage right now," Loftin told the Associated Press. "Essentially, we're being told that you must stay here against your will, and we think that really flies in the face of what makes us Americans, for example, and makes us free people."

Wow, what a difference a year makes. We've known the aggies were whiners for a long time now, but who would have thought that they would have been so vocal in calling out those that want to hold them to the obligations of a contract they themselves agreed to a little over a year ago.

Posted 9/07/2011 05:48:00 PM by Douglas

One thing's for sure, whoever wrote this has been to Amarillo.

Posted 9/07/2011 05:03:00 PM by Douglas

I got a better idea: ban swimming pools.

Luanne W believes her only son had no idea how potent this concoction was, and she has channeled her grief into a crusade to ban the sale of Everclear and other high-proof booze in Wisconsin, as some other states have done.

It's tragic a young man died, but it's not the fault of the booze any more than it's the fault of the pool. This 22 year old didn't buy beer. He bought liquor, high test liquor, and he bought it because it was the strongest thing on the shelf. So put the responsibility of this tragic death where it belongs, and it's not on the neck of an inanimate bottle.