Remember the dust-up resulting from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission raiding a gay bar in Fort Worth, which ended with injuries, not to mention serious questions regarding harassment?
Well, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has been cleared of all serious wrong-doing by...the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
I'm glad they could clear that up. Now, where's the next shiny object?
Public weighs in on Austin's "texting while driving" ban
The Austin City Council's recent move banning motorists from text messaging while driving has resulted in many Austinites congratulating councilmembers through the very social media outlets the council regulated.
"Congrats on passing the anti-texting ordinance," one Austinite text messaged to Councilmember Mike Martinez, the primary author of the measure. "What R U wearing, big boy?" the citizen added moments later.
"I'm glad the city raised my awareness about the dangers of texting while driving," said one Austin woman via Facebook. "What with all the text messages I used to send from IH-35 every morning, I barely had time to read the newspaper, smoke a cigarette, put on my make-up, eat my Mickey D's sausage biscuit with egg, and finish the New York Times crossword on my way to work," she added.
Responding to our text message seeking comment, Martinez replied, "I was pleased to sponsor this important measure, and proud of my fellow councilmembers for agreeing with me." According to a subsequent police accident report, no one was injured when moments later Martinez reportedly plowed into the back of a Toyota Tercel while giving his scalp its morning shave.
Democrats applaud Hank Gilbert's proposals on gay, bisexual, and transgendered Texans
At a press conference yesterday, Austin Democrats applauded new gay rights policy proposals rolled out by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hank Gilbert. Gilbert's plan includes the state recognizing same-sex unions, making it easier to change the gender on a birth certificate, and requiring universities to recognize same-sex domestic partnerships.
By any valid civil rights measure, the proposals are the right thing to do. Out-of-touch Austinites who have some delusional view that a few scattered Texans may not completely embrace Gilbert's proposals were quickly shouted down.
"Finally - a candidate for governor with the courage to commit political suicide before the filing period even opens. This is the one I've been waiting for," said one activist.
"I'm so tired of candidates for public office not speaking out and doing the right thing on an issue, just because to do so would mean it's a sure bet that they won't win the election, take office, and accomplish a single thing for Texas. This is a big step forward," said another.
In 2005, the most recent time Texas voters have weighed in on a gay rights measure, of the 254 counties in Texas, 253 of them voted to reject the notion of gay marriage. Democratic political analysts all agreed that the time is ripe for the Gilbert campaign to win Democratic hearts and minds with his bold proposals, and that the move puts him in a great position to launch a massive issues education effort with all the extra contributions which have been pouring into his campaign. They agreed that the move sets up Gilbert to become the prohibitive frontrunner in Clarksville, parts of Travis Heights, one neighborhood in Houston, and at former State Representative Glen Maxey's house.
Contacted for reaction to the Gilbert plan, Tom Schieffer said something unintelligible, then added that people know him in Fort Worth. Kinky Friedman, for his part, had no particular reaction to reporters' questions on the matter, instead continuing to bogart a doobie and eat dinner directly from the Doritos bag.
Ultra-conservative Republican Gubernatorial candidate to air Spanish-language ads
Debra Medina, the Republican running for Governor who is so conservative she thinks Rick Perry is a wuss, announced yesterday she will air Spanish-language TV ads in her Republican primary election.
Medina, whose last name was acquired through marriage and who is reportedly of German and Bohemian heritage, characterized herself in an Austin American-Statesman interview only as a "wife and mother, a nurse and a patriot." She did not, however, mention anything about being "a wackadoodle."
Media consultants specializing in Latino communications applauded the ad, and said that the "go home - I hate you all" subliminal message was barely noticable to the untrained eye.
This morning the staff of the Texas Tribune flipped the switch and went live with their much-anticipated new Texas political news portal. It is, at first glance, everything the Trib's Evan Smith has said all along it would be, and more.
I can practically smell the innovation. I can practically hear Smith and Ross Ramsey (the other Trib boss) preaching to the staff that "we're not going to do it like everybody else does it," and preaching it in words fired so quickly that only the caffeine-addicted can keep up. One can practically hear the "oh crap!'s" of major daily newspaper editors and publishers as they sit down at their computers with their coffee this morning, seeing the massive amount of news and information running circles around the products of their own papers' newsrooms, in many cases produced by the same journalists who months ago were under-valued writers at those newspapers.
Months ago, political Texans were all asking each other, "what do you think about this Tribune thing?" I said from the start that I thought the start-up would be a good thing, which would not only aggregate some of the best Texas political writers' work and give them the freedom to do more of it, but also force everybody else in traditional media to step up their game. And every time I said it with great confidence, I wondered if it was true.
Now that I see the site live, I know it is. There's more useful news and information on today's front page alone, on the opening day, than one would get from the sum total of every political newsclip from every major daily newspaper in Texas for a week or two. And, oh yeah, the Trib also has all those major dailys' newsclips on their site too.
There are, no doubt, challenges ahead for the Trib. Foremost among them is the lingering worry that, once the dust settles and the "newness" wears off, the business model might not work. Equally challenging is how they'll keep up the pace of producing a massive amount of content day-after-day. Afterall, writing and delivering the news isn't a sprint - it's a long distance run.
Also challenging, and instructive, will be how they handle the task of picking themselves up and brushing themselves off, following the inevitable mistakes and snafus to which startup companies always seem prone. I already see one possible pitfall - they've managed to contract with a polling outfit many find questionable. I might be mistaken, but isn't this the same outfit which contracted with newspapers for years not because they were good, but because they were cheap - and even so, one-by-one newspapers abandoned the arrangements because of quality issues? I guess time will tell whether the polls are worthy of the Trib, but on this front they'll have to prove it to me.
I also wonder some of the same things they may not yet know at the Trib, because they probably haven't re-invented it yet - like how a publication which isn't a "newspaper of record" will cover urgent breaking news. Like how they'll make things right when they get it wrong. Like how they'll avoid blurring the lines between news and analysis such that they don't draw excessive fire, while at the same time not being afraid to present solid analysis.
What I'm not skeptical about is the Tribune's ability to adjust, improve, and evolve such that the product is high quality, the interest remains high, and folks are armed with more news and information than they have been for years. I know the people involved, and if the Trib leadership can avoid burning them out (sometimes a big trick among start-ups), they'll keep producing and innovating.
Texas politics is the greatest full contact sport in America. The Tribune's roll-out appears at first glance to be a product worthy of the sport. And remind me I said that, after the first time they totally burn somebody I like.
...to bring you this very important breaking news update.
This has been a Letters From Texas breaking news update. We now return you to your regular-scheduled programming.
Oh, the inhumanity! Isn't there anybody who can stop the scourge of this terrible dementia robbing prominent Republicans of their memories?
Read more...
Remember the dust-up resulting from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission raiding a gay bar in Fort Worth, which ended with injuries, not to mention serious questions regarding harassment?
Well, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has been cleared of all serious wrong-doing by...the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
I'm glad they could clear that up. Now, where's the next shiny object?
Public weighs in on Austin's "texting while driving" ban
The Austin City Council's recent move banning motorists from text messaging while driving has resulted in many Austinites congratulating councilmembers through the very social media outlets the council regulated.
"Congrats on passing the anti-texting ordinance," one Austinite text messaged to Councilmember Mike Martinez, the primary author of the measure. "What R U wearing, big boy?" the citizen added moments later.
"I'm glad the city raised my awareness about the dangers of texting while driving," said one Austin woman via Facebook. "What with all the text messages I used to send from IH-35 every morning, I barely had time to read the newspaper, smoke a cigarette, put on my make-up, eat my Mickey D's sausage biscuit with egg, and finish the New York Times crossword on my way to work," she added.
Responding to our text message seeking comment, Martinez replied, "I was pleased to sponsor this important measure, and proud of my fellow councilmembers for agreeing with me." According to a subsequent police accident report, no one was injured when moments later Martinez reportedly plowed into the back of a Toyota Tercel while giving his scalp its morning shave.
Democrats applaud Hank Gilbert's proposals on gay, bisexual, and transgendered Texans
At a press conference yesterday, Austin Democrats applauded new gay rights policy proposals rolled out by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hank Gilbert. Gilbert's plan includes the state recognizing same-sex unions, making it easier to change the gender on a birth certificate, and requiring universities to recognize same-sex domestic partnerships.
By any valid civil rights measure, the proposals are the right thing to do. Out-of-touch Austinites who have some delusional view that a few scattered Texans may not completely embrace Gilbert's proposals were quickly shouted down.
"Finally - a candidate for governor with the courage to commit political suicide before the filing period even opens. This is the one I've been waiting for," said one activist.
"I'm so tired of candidates for public office not speaking out and doing the right thing on an issue, just because to do so would mean it's a sure bet that they won't win the election, take office, and accomplish a single thing for Texas. This is a big step forward," said another.
In 2005, the most recent time Texas voters have weighed in on a gay rights measure, of the 254 counties in Texas, 253 of them voted to reject the notion of gay marriage. Democratic political analysts all agreed that the time is ripe for the Gilbert campaign to win Democratic hearts and minds with his bold proposals, and that the move puts him in a great position to launch a massive issues education effort with all the extra contributions which have been pouring into his campaign. They agreed that the move sets up Gilbert to become the prohibitive frontrunner in Clarksville, parts of Travis Heights, one neighborhood in Houston, and at former State Representative Glen Maxey's house.
Contacted for reaction to the Gilbert plan, Tom Schieffer said something unintelligible, then added that people know him in Fort Worth. Kinky Friedman, for his part, had no particular reaction to reporters' questions on the matter, instead continuing to bogart a doobie and eat dinner directly from the Doritos bag.
Ultra-conservative Republican Gubernatorial candidate to air Spanish-language ads
Debra Medina, the Republican running for Governor who is so conservative she thinks Rick Perry is a wuss, announced yesterday she will air Spanish-language TV ads in her Republican primary election.
Medina, whose last name was acquired through marriage and who is reportedly of German and Bohemian heritage, characterized herself in an Austin American-Statesman interview only as a "wife and mother, a nurse and a patriot." She did not, however, mention anything about being "a wackadoodle."
Media consultants specializing in Latino communications applauded the ad, and said that the "go home - I hate you all" subliminal message was barely noticable to the untrained eye.
This morning the staff of the Texas Tribune flipped the switch and went live with their much-anticipated new Texas political news portal. It is, at first glance, everything the Trib's Evan Smith has said all along it would be, and more.
I can practically smell the innovation. I can practically hear Smith and Ross Ramsey (the other Trib boss) preaching to the staff that "we're not going to do it like everybody else does it," and preaching it in words fired so quickly that only the caffeine-addicted can keep up. One can practically hear the "oh crap!'s" of major daily newspaper editors and publishers as they sit down at their computers with their coffee this morning, seeing the massive amount of news and information running circles around the products of their own papers' newsrooms, in many cases produced by the same journalists who months ago were under-valued writers at those newspapers.
Months ago, political Texans were all asking each other, "what do you think about this Tribune thing?" I said from the start that I thought the start-up would be a good thing, which would not only aggregate some of the best Texas political writers' work and give them the freedom to do more of it, but also force everybody else in traditional media to step up their game. And every time I said it with great confidence, I wondered if it was true.
Now that I see the site live, I know it is. There's more useful news and information on today's front page alone, on the opening day, than one would get from the sum total of every political newsclip from every major daily newspaper in Texas for a week or two. And, oh yeah, the Trib also has all those major dailys' newsclips on their site too.
There are, no doubt, challenges ahead for the Trib. Foremost among them is the lingering worry that, once the dust settles and the "newness" wears off, the business model might not work. Equally challenging is how they'll keep up the pace of producing a massive amount of content day-after-day. Afterall, writing and delivering the news isn't a sprint - it's a long distance run.
Also challenging, and instructive, will be how they handle the task of picking themselves up and brushing themselves off, following the inevitable mistakes and snafus to which startup companies always seem prone. I already see one possible pitfall - they've managed to contract with a polling outfit many find questionable. I might be mistaken, but isn't this the same outfit which contracted with newspapers for years not because they were good, but because they were cheap - and even so, one-by-one newspapers abandoned the arrangements because of quality issues? I guess time will tell whether the polls are worthy of the Trib, but on this front they'll have to prove it to me.
I also wonder some of the same things they may not yet know at the Trib, because they probably haven't re-invented it yet - like how a publication which isn't a "newspaper of record" will cover urgent breaking news. Like how they'll make things right when they get it wrong. Like how they'll avoid blurring the lines between news and analysis such that they don't draw excessive fire, while at the same time not being afraid to present solid analysis.
What I'm not skeptical about is the Tribune's ability to adjust, improve, and evolve such that the product is high quality, the interest remains high, and folks are armed with more news and information than they have been for years. I know the people involved, and if the Trib leadership can avoid burning them out (sometimes a big trick among start-ups), they'll keep producing and innovating.
Texas politics is the greatest full contact sport in America. The Tribune's roll-out appears at first glance to be a product worthy of the sport. And remind me I said that, after the first time they totally burn somebody I like.
...to bring you this very important breaking news update.
This has been a Letters From Texas breaking news update. We now return you to your regular-scheduled programming.
Oh, the inhumanity! Isn't there anybody who can stop the scourge of this terrible dementia robbing prominent Republicans of their memories?
Read more...
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