Virginia Postrel has authored an enlightening article in the December issue of Texas Monthly addressing the perception of Plano as the bellwether for "red-state" America.

Read the whole thing (registration required - visit Virginia's site to get the special password).

Posted by: JohnL at 10:22 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 50 words, total size 1 kb.

I wish I could say the absence of posting around here was a result of drafting the next great American novel, but instead I have to confess a lack of desire to write much of anything. Intense legal work has a way of wringing out my desire to read or write much.

I've got the coming week off, and plan to do a great deal of physically intense yard and house work. Maybe that will inspire some more recreational reading and writing energy.

But then again, maybe not. Check back and see.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:55 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 98 words, total size 1 kb.

Here's how I voted:

US Senator: Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), the Devil I know. The Democrat is a typical social democrat who supports socialized medicine. The Libertarian wants to repeal the income tax (good, if futile) and compel citizens to buy health insurance instead. Wrong answer.

US Representative: Sam Johnson (R), one of the few candidates that I feel really good voting for.

Governor: Kinky Friedman (I), purely as a protest vote for the least-powerful position in state government. I wouldn't have felt bad voting for incumbent Republican Rick Perry, as he ranked second-best in the libertarian Cato Institute's "Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2006" list of American governors.

Lieutenant Governor: Judy Baker (L). This is the most powerful office in Texas state government, and should therefore go to the clear limited-government candidate. Dewhurst hasn't been bad, as Republicans go, and will likely get the job, but Baker says the right things about limiting the scope and power of government.

Attorney General: Greg Abbott (R). He was a good judge, and has done nothing I find objectionable in his first term as AG. The Democrat wants to step up antitrust enforcement (loses my vote), and the Libertarian candidate for this position is, in my opinion, a loon.

Comptroller: Mike Burris (L). He's been a state employee for 26 years, and therefore understands the nature of the beast. A certified internal auditor, I think he is best-qualified to root out waste and report on the fiscal condition of the state government.

Land Commissioner: Michael French (L). I wish I could vote to eliminate the office altogether. Barring that, a Libertarian vote is probably the next-best-thing.

Agriculture Commissioner: Clay Woolam (L). Seems a bit flaky, but not too much so. Better than either major party candidate, who both seem a bit too activist for my taste.

Railroad Commissioner: Tabitha Serrano (L). This misnamed office is the most powerful regulatory agency in Texas (it regulates the oil and gas industry) and should go to the outsider committed to smaller government. Aside from having the hottest name in the race, here's what she has to say about her office: "Heck! I'm not actually sure what a railroad commissioner actually does, so the first thing I intend to do is figure that out and then get the darn thing renamed to something that makes sense, or maybe do away with it entirely."

For the State Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals, I voted against every Republican (for the Libertarian if there was one, otherwise for the Democrat challenger).

Posted by: JohnL at 08:59 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 430 words, total size 3 kb.

Well, I've foolishly decided to tilt at the literary windmill again this year. I hardly lasted 3 days last year. And so far I only have a few hundred words this year.

No problem. This time around, I have taken the wise step of associating with some other like-minded writers to create an anthology of "Giant Evil Space Robot" fiction. By aggregating our work, we can reach the 50,000-word goal, without (we hope) creating too much unreadable dreck.

I'm spending a bit more time on plotting this time around, with the hope of producing something better. Check back every few days. Blogging will be light, but a bit more steady than it has been. Especially if I get in procrastination mode and avoid writing fiction by noodling around here.

Posted by: JohnL at 01:08 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 133 words, total size 1 kb.

"Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks."

- Lazarus Long in Time Enough For Love.

Posted by: JohnL at 07:38 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 38 words, total size 1 kb.