Since yet another diary has appeared on the recommended list about this, I'm going to jump in here.

I was hoping that someone else (maybe the original diarist from earlier today) would do this, but now I'm bugged enough I'm going to give it a try.

Here's the upshot, as I see it.

This has been pretty much debunked with a post over on Open Left, from which I've shamelessly stolen the title.

Clinton: 54.69
Obama: 45.31

Here's what I said Monday in a comment:

I'll bet it's 54.6% Clinton, 45.4% Obama.

Not that I'm happy about it. Onward to read about my wondrous mystical abilities.

And maybe Ohio?

Before the primary yesterday, I was hearing anecdotal evidence about Republicans voting in the Dem primary. And, looking back at how things stacked up in previous primaries, I was ready to predict that Obama would take Texas pretty easily, since the crossover independents were swinging his way.

Seems as maybe I forgot about the Limbaugh Effect.

With all these diaries on the I-35W bridge collapse, and the related ones on our failing infrastructure, I'm interested in harnessing the power of the internet to focus our energies.

I've seen links to general numbers on the percentage of bridges that are substandard around the country. But I want more details. For example: the Upper Deck of I-35 in Austin was completed a little over 30 years ago. Someone recently told me that the Lamar bridge over Lady Bird Lake (new name!) is 100 years old -- though I doubt that. Are these bridges in danger?

Some reports list 145,000 substandard bridges in the US. Seems to me the great power that we have out here is getting that list out. Once people actually see a list, then it becomes real and they have something to go to their various representatives with to get something real done.

Until people are presented with real bridges that they drive over every day, it's all just numbers.

I'm totally stealing from Randi Rhodes. And I haven't researched this in any way, but on a quick glance, it seems as Randi has the answer to 'How to stop funding the war while still supporting the troops?'

Randi pointed out last night on her program exactly how much is being done by groups like Blackwater. And how devastating it would be to the whole campaign for them to have to pull out.

To repeat myself (because, for some reason, I have that quirk), I haven't looked into this in any way, really. I don't even know how the contractors are being funded. Through Haliburton contracts? Is that something that congress can directly influence?

I'm looking forward to y'all's responses, and apologize for not having anything more substantial. I didn't see this suggestion mentioned anywhere on a search. Seems like a very good one that could use discussion/fleshing out.

Some friends of mine are going to be up in NYC starting this coming Sunday, performing a 60 minute play called Puppet Government at the FringeNYC. I don't exactly feel comfortable about spamming y'all with what amounts to an advertisement, but hey, we all need a little humor now and then, right? I could blather on, extolling its virtues, but probably the best way to get some idea as to what it is and is about is to click that link above, or read their blog where the writer and director detail the painful and heroic donor surgeries and behind the scenes camraderie between the various small appliances playing our favorite whipping boys.

Ugh. I feel a little dirty now, but hey, these are friends of mine, taking the long trip up to NYC bringing a little taste of what us folks in Austin, the heart of Texas, think of BushCo. May as well take a chance and see if anyone up that way will latch onto this as it scrolls by the diaries list.

A week or so ago, I finally had it with my mother. Reading a blog entry by Riverbend did it. Thinking about what my mother (and all the others like her) had done, voting in George Bush. And supporting him blindly.

So I forwarded Riverbend's blog entry to her.

Read on to see what she wrote me back.

How was I to know that there was anything at all near our house that he'd need/want to visit?

The entire story in extended...

Burnt Orange Report blogs a DeLay pressure tactic going on in Houston this weekend.

I have vivid memories of the Repubs causing chaos during the Florida recount in 2000. I wouldn't put it past them to do it again on the local level at the same time they have the high pressure lawyers in there. Here's a clear opportunity for us to fight every office.

To be honest, since I'm only getting this from Burnt Orange Report, I don't have any specific details. I'm bringing this to everyone's attention in the hopes that someone closer to the ground there will have more suggestions/news. At the very least, Houstonians, make sure the media covers this thoroughly!

I never vote early. I always wait until the day of the election. I've done it that way because it feels even more like I'm doing my civic duty. I feel proud to go in and vote on the day set aside to do that.

As I've been reading Kos, I've come to understand the reason for going early. But it wasn't until I talked with a friend of mine this weekend that I decided to vote early.

My friend's from Kentucky originally, but is very much an Austinite. He was wondering where the early voting places were, and said that he planned on getting up early because "I want to be the first person in line to vote that bastard out."

And suddenly, I was struck by the same urge. So, though I HATE getting up early, my wife and I did so. We were the first ones in line, and have now cast our votes. We even picked up extra 'I voted' stickers to wear for the next week -- our subtle way of reminding folks.

Since this is my first entry, I'm going to add an 'extended', just 'cause I'm getting long. Don't know if it's appropriate.