Results tagged “politics”

in the war-torn country of Afghanistan, there’s a TV show much like our own inexplicably popular American Idol, where anyone can compete regardless of race, age, religion, or any other factor. And people all over the country use their cell phones to vote for their favorite performer. This remarkable film (winner of Directing and Audience Awards at this year’s Sundance Film Festival) follows four finalists as they compete to become the next Afghan Star.It's sure to inform, inspire, enlighten, and entertain you. And that’s a lot more than Simon Cowell could ever do for you.

• Iranian Cleric: Protesters at War With God.
• Record heat prompts weather advisories, all-time energy consumption.
• New 'no refusal' DWI legislation for Texas.

SB 488 would have created a safe zone around special roadway users. Special users included pedestrians, runners, skaters, motorcyclists, cyclists, and more. The bill passed 26-5 in the Senate and passed on the local calendar in the House. It attempted to change current driver behavior (and possibly save lives) by criminalizing the near physical harm of fast-moving vehicles inches from your elbow. Governor Perry has some recent personal experience with pedestrian life on the road; he ran in this year’s Texas Independence Relay, a 203.2 mile race from Gonzalez to Houston. You can view the Governor’s objections here.

Did anyone see any disgruntled legislators fleeing the scene? Hours after announcing to reporters that he intended to call a special legislative session later this summer, Gov. Rick Perry crashed his mountain bike and broke his collarbone. The governor was treated and released from the hospital last night, but has cancelled all of his appointments today. [KVUE]

Today Gov. Perry announced to an unsurprised Capitol Press Corps that there will indeed be a legislative special session, but the schedule for it is still being decided. The special session is likely to deal with the issues the Senate left unresolved at sine die. Whether the session will also include the contentious topic of Voter ID is up in the air. [KVUE: Political Junkie]

• Guantanamo suspect transported to NY under cover of darkness; will face trial.
• This is an interesting kind of opaque transparency.
• Palin vs. Gingrich - the battle heats up.

Yesterday was Sine Die for the Legislature, but the State Senate skipped out before passing legislation to cover the operations of state transportation and insurance agencies through 2011 (the next legislative session). With this hanging over his head, Gov. Rick Perry will have to come up with some sort of solution. Does this mean a Special Session in the near future? Many suspect that one may have to called to resolve this issue, but neither the Governor nor House Speaker Straus think it necessary. . . yet. [Dallas Morning News]

Sen. Cornyn speaks out against Rush and Newt's comments on Sotomayor's "racism." Obama to name a "cyber czar." Texas Senate passes the budget. Dell income plunges 63% in early 2009. Austin woman charged in death of husband. Actress urged me to take ecstasy, says doctor in sex scandal trial. Bye, Jay. Heeeeeere's Conan!

Legislature passes a TV recycling bill: "A zombie TV can rot your brain, literally." It's official: Perry's appointment of a creationist dentist to the State Board of Education has been rejected by the Senate. Gov. Perry says he will veto the CHIP expansion bill if the Senate passes it. Rick Perry among the Political Junkie's "Most Endangered of Getting Knocked Off in the Primary Next Year" list. 24-year-old woman in trouble with the law after leaving her 4-year-old alone in their apartment for hours at a time. AG Abbott charges Conn's with aggressive and deceptive sales tactics. A paint spill closed down IH35 Northbound in Round Rock for a while today.

As anticipated, the State Senate struck down Gov. Perry's attempted re-nomination of creationism-touting Sunday school teacher Don McLeroy as chairman of the State Board of Education.

House Dems spent the weekend "chubbing" various bills to put off the vote on the Voter ID bill. State Rep. Raymond shares why he is doing his part to block the Voter ID Bill. McLeroy, Perry's pick for Chair of State Board of Education, may not make it through Senate confirmation. Texans react to Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court. KXAN: "Naked man bites cop, shot with Taser." NAACP meeting tonight will focus on community involvement and the shooting death of Nathaniel Sanders. Does Austin have too many non-profit organizations?

J.W. Lown, who served three terms already as mayor of the town of San Angelo, announced that he was resigning his office before being sworn into his fourth term this week. He chose his personal life over his political one; he has been romantically involved with a non-citizen since March (the relationship started after the filing deadline for this past election), and is currently in Mexico while his partner tries to get a visa allowing him back to the States. Town leaders seemed stunned by Lown's decision, speaking to his accomplishments as mayor. Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Jon Mark Hogg told the San Angelo Standard-Times, "I think it goes without saying we lost a great public servant with Mayor Lown." [San Angelo Standard-Times]

Yesterday afternoon, we spoke with Mr. Hudgins and feel that we now have a clearer story, at least from the state's point of view, and wish to tidy up some omissions and inaccuracies that were presented, not only by us, but by other media outlets as well.

GOP women and Hutchison supporters raising a ruckus over "whorehouse" comment made by Perry strategist. House Dems say that bringing up the voter ID bill might mean less time for other important legislation this session Robbie Knievel will jump Congress Avenue at 11th Street as part of the ROT Bike Rally in June. Good news: number of cars being stolen in the state is decreasing. Bad news: number of car break-ins is way up. City releases 911 calls from last week's shootings near Springdale. Oops: Austin ambulance was seriously damaged when it smashed into a toll booth barrier on 45 near 130 last week. There was no patient in it at the time. Pat Forgione gives his last press conference as AISD superintendent. Kid from The Colony wins the National Geography Bee.

Concealed handguns on their way to a campus near you? State Senate gave preliminary approval today to a bill allowing concealed handguns on public university campuses.Police searching for the suspect from a mugging at UT this morning. The Statesman now has a nifty online crime map. Round Rock ISD employee steals 100 computers from the district, tries to sell them on Craigslist. CapMetro set to use $10 million loan, if needed. Statewide smoking ban bill, we hardly knew ye. 4-year-old Waco man in stable condition after being stung more than 250 times by bees.

In an editorial for yesterday's issue of the , Rick Perry writes, "I have never advocated for secession and never will." Perhaps he has never out-and-out advocated for secession; he's just made not-so-subtle hints to it, such as, "if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that." [HuffPo] Given recent poll numbers, a good number of Texas Republicans are totally fine with the secessionist talk. If that's the case, then with this editorial is Perry seriously trying to clear his name, or just trying to keep it in the papers? [Perry's OpEd for the Statesman]

Pres. Obama seeks (again) "common ground" with antis Recession threatens child health, safety, education improvements What is it about the green ones? (Industry subtly intrigued by Obama climate plan) Gov. Perry's secession chatter scoring big points against Kay Bailey Uruguay lifts ban on gays in military, crops do not fail Oopsie of the day: Biden reveals location of secret bunker Tasteful, socially beneficial" sex theme park closes in China

CIA contractors behind harsh interrogation methods? Rove will be interviewed by federal prosecutors for the criminal investigation into the Bush administration attorney firings. Military tribunals will be held at Gitmo again, with some changes. Texas Parks and Wildlife suspending their Wildlife Expo for two years citing sponsorship revenue decline. Our governor still hinting at secession. "The old adage that 'first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage' just no longer holds true." Happy Americorps week!

Medical records dropped off at a Cedar Park recycling bin. Seguin Rep. Ed Kuempel collapsed late last night in a Capitol elevator from a heart attack, and is now in a medically-induced coma. Democrat Mark Thompson plans to run for governor. More on the shootings Monday off of Springdale. Police searching for man who sexually assaulted a woman in Northwest Austin Tuesday night. Body of missing kayaker was found this afternoon in Lake Austin. Georgetown police chief placed on administrative leave.

American forces in Afghanistan: Gen. David D. McKiernan out, Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal is in. American soldier kills five fellow servicemen at a combat stress clinic in Baghdad. Love among the ruins of Sichuan. During his visit, Pope disappoints many residents of the Holy Land with his lack of specifics. NPR's Adam Davidson argues with bailout monitor Elizabeth Warren. Florida's Governor Crist wants to be Senator Crist. Aziz Ansari on the great IMAX swindle.

Mayoral candidate Brewster McCracken sent out an email this morning announcing that he has decided not to pursue the June runoff election.

Wouldn't it be sad if after such an awesome turnout for the national election, the following municipal election had record low turnout? Answer: yes. So don't forget to vote tomorrow! City Hall Hustle dissects the campaign ads in this election. Members of the House worked late into the night on changes to TxDOT. Passenger angrily pees on back of Austin cab, cabbie runs over his legs. Obama's budget proposal would leave the border fence unfinished. Texan author Bud Shrake died today.

This poll illustrates why you need to vote on Saturday (if you haven't already)!! Campaign finance complaints traded between Leffingwell and McCracken. No sunset review of the State Board of Education after the House defeats a bill that would have done so. Budget shortfall leads KLRU to lay off 12 employees, including the two Docubloggers producers. Canada's Open Text Corp. is set to buy Austin's Vignette Corp. for $310 million. Richard Garriott suing NCsoft. Dispute between spouses at an auto shop this weekend: wife drove over her husband's leg with a customer's car.

If you parked at a meter downtown this weekend, you may have gotten a "Violation" like the one shown here, saying that Lee Leffingwell wants you to pay to park on nights and weekends. The violation flyers were distributed by a group called BrewsterNation.com, which has posted Leffingwell's unedited response on YouTube. The question, which was asked by the author of this post at the Austin Super Forum, was "Should the city start generating more revenue from street parking by charging people to park at night and on the weekends?"

State Senate approves bill which would have doctors offer ultrasound to women seeking abortion, and more.

• MoPac open again after fatal accident this morning.
• Items the Austin City Council approved Thursday.
• Police seek man on the run after SWAT call in East Austin.

• Gov. Perry issues disaster declaration for the state as swine flu cases increase in number (to 16).
• State lawmakers were warned 14 months ago that Texas was ill-equipped to deal with a flu outbreak.
• Possible swine flu case leads to closing of AISD's Lucy Read Pre-K (til May 11).

President Obama's been in office for exactly 100 days today, and his approval rating remains as high as ever at upwards of sixty percent. And, while he's still a ways off from solving that pesky economic crisis, bringing about world peace, or cloning unicorns, most folks find this a milestone worth celebrating.

• Case with Austin ties coming up before the Supreme Court tomorrow has some wondering if the Voting Rights Act is needed in the Obama era.
• UT Law Prof Stefanie Lindquist discussed the case with KUT's Jennifer Stayton.
• Bill up before the Texas Legislature would ban usage of cell phones in school zones.

In a written statement, which Ben Smith reposted on Politico, Specter declares, "Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans."