The Texas Blue: Articles
T. Boone Pickens: Jack of All Trades, Master of One
By Josh Matlock
Wed, 03/07/2007 - 9:37am
T. Boone Pickens is a jack-of-all-trades and master of one: making money. Pickens has managed to leave his mark in the areas of oil and gas, cattle, corporate raiding, hedge fund management, politics, philanthropy, and yes, even water peddling. Not only has he left his mark, he continues marking. Pickens, at 77 years of age, says he is not retiring until he dies and does not sit around reminiscing about the success he has had in the past. Instead, Pickens says he is always figuring how to make more money. Yet, not only does Pickens delight in adding to his fortune, but he also enjoys giving it away.
Is BRAC Political?
By Karl Lynch
Mon, 03/05/2007 - 8:28am
In 2005, we asked our military to tell us how we should restructure military bases to best serve the armed forces. This process is not new. It is a regular analysis of our military's infrastructure aimed at saving money and using resources more efficiently.
Frank Luntz and the Big Idea
Thu, 03/01/2007 - 4:24pm
Frank Luntz's verbal sorcery cannot be trusted. On Sunday, the Washington Post ran an op/ed by Luntz about what's wrong with Republicans and why they seem to be terrible at politics lately. He points to all of the actual reasons — the war, the budget, the wedge politics — but he prescribes more of the same behavior for Republicans, asserting that it is what Americans want. I, surprisingly enough, disagree.
Fast-Track - But Not For Coal
Mon, 02/26/2007 - 1:33pm
With Tom La Point, PhD
Governor Perry's executive order to fast track the permitting of TXU's 11 proposed new coal-fired power plants clearly shows that his energy policy disregards clean air and global climate change considerations. One has to question his motives for fast-tracking these "old style dirty plants" when clean coal technologies exist to significantly reduce air pollutants and to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Could Governor Perry's regulatory fast-tracking be to help TXU get the power plants permitted before carbon dioxide caps are legislated by the U.S. Congress to address the serious problem of global warming? If this is so, shame on the Governor and on TXU.
A Sign of Change
By Josh Miller
Mon, 02/26/2007 - 9:31am
The smallest county in Texas is apparently big enough for its very own political feud.
Exposing ExxonMobil
Mon, 02/19/2007 - 8:25am
In a quarter-page advertorial in a recent New York Times, ExxonMobil launched a new greenwashing campaign to salvage its earned reputation as Earth's number one global warming villain. For over a decade the giant oil company has waged a successful multi-million dollar propaganda campaign to deceive the public about global warming.
A Teacher's Take on TAKS
Mon, 02/19/2007 - 8:11am
I taught junior high last year, and one thing I noticed straight away was students' day-to-day inconsistency in performance. One day they would blow you away with their brilliance, and the next, act like preschoolers with no rhyme or reason. I saw how difficult it is for the TAKS Test and standardized testing to accurately gauge performance. How are students going to be fairly gauged when one day's performance means being held back or not graduating from high school?
Handicapping the Democratic Candidate Field
Thu, 02/15/2007 - 10:35am
With Bush's days in office numbered (705 to be exact, but who's counting?), one can not help but wonder who will fill the big shoes. There are many questions we ask ourselves as the election grows closer: Will the country be ready for a change and elect a Democrat? Will it want to maintain the new balance between the legislative and executive branches? Who will be the nominee for each of the parties?
Something New Under The Sun
Mon, 02/12/2007 - 7:51am
This week, hundreds of Texans from all across the state descended on the Texas capitol to protest Governor Perry's decision to fast-track the construction of nineteen new coal-fired power plants. Their concerns are well-founded; coal is a non-renewable resource that pollutes our air and contributes dramatically to global climate change.
Handicapping the Republican Candidate Field
Wed, 02/07/2007 - 11:43am
The last time there was not an incumbent running for re-election (President) or election (Vice President running for Presidency) in the United States was 1928; the election of 1928 gave the country four years of Warren Harding, a fitting historical comparison for George W. Bush. We can only hope that 2008 will provide us with someone far better than either the historical albatross of Harding or the contemporary embarrassment of Bush.