East Side Saved (For Now)!
Posted by the iDiot on Jan 6 2009 3:09PM
I am beyond pleased about this. Having seen what 130 did to rural east austin, it is relieving to know St. Hedwig, La Vernia, New Berlin won't be bulldozed over just yet.
AUSTIN (AP) -- State officials said Tuesday they are scrapping the proposed network of tolls roads known as the Trans-Texas Corridor, a massive transportation project that critics called an expensive boondoggle.
"The days of the Trans-Texas Corridor are over, it's finished up," said Gov. Rick Perry, who had proposed the idea as a way to relieve highway congestion in Texas. Speaking on a conference call from Iraq, Perry said, "The name 'Trans-Texas Corridor' is over with."
Amadeo Saenz, executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation, unveiled new guidelines Tuesday for developing a network of toll roads, rails and pipelines that have grown ever-more controversial since Perry began promoting the idea in 2002. Associates of the governor have said for weeks the corridor would not take shape as originally envisioned.
Perry said projects like Interstate 69 -- which would run from northeast Texas to the Rio Grande Valley -- and highways that will run parallel to north-south I-35 will continue, he said. He also said Texas' commitment to building roads is what attracts many companies and their jobs to the state, he said.
"I think the concept of the Trans-Texas Corridor is frankly one that got misunderstood," Perry said.
The governor said it's not a public relations failure on his part or a rejection of his views. He said Texans realize, as he's been pointing out, that there's major congestion along I-35 and other highways. He said Texans want to see their leaders have broad visions and not be "sticking our heads in the sand."
"I'm not afraid of taking on big and tough issues," Perry said.
Saenz said major corridor projects will now comprise several small segments closer to 600 feet wide. Original plans called for corridors up to 1,200 feet wide to allow for several modes of transportation and utility transmission facilities.
Road-building is a cornerstone of Perry's administration and is certain to be an issue in his 2010 re-election bid. His potential primary opponent, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, also has said transportation should be one of the state's top priorities.
The Trans-Texas Corridor was envisioned as a huge set of highways, rail and utility lines crisscrossing the state, but it came under fire almost since its inception. Rural landowners in particular were opposed to giving up their property for the project.
Mr. iDiego was displaying the "haven't ridden a cross bike in 3 years, oh yeah you have to get off the bike when you see those wooden planks, oh yeah you have slow down before you get off, oh yeah the rear brake is on the left hand, oops we're a little off to the left so we'll have to run back around, why is my saddle pointing sideways now" natural flow of one of gods freaks of nature.
He did some other really cool stuff out there too. He didn't fall in the river (his number one concern.)
2.the iDiot wrote on Jan 5 2009 4:33PM
let's talk about your video posting technique.
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Favorite Mel's Diner Employee
Posted by the iDiot on Jan 5 2009 6:10AM
Very very similar to his mentor, iDiego in the above video.
4.moe wrote on Jan 5 2009 8:14PM
I was really prepared for a Bloody Sunday with the concrete ramp. Had the first aid kit full & ready. Not one reported need for bandages. Good flow for most.
5.zlite wrote on Jan 6 2009 9:51AM
I guess Team BH had flowing into the barriers down. I ended up face down once too.
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Deep Thought
Posted by the iDiot on Jan 3 2009 11:00PM
Every notice the transitive property of the the coward's pronoun? For instance, often I'll see "we" when the underlying subject was actually "you."
Example: We ought to get AMD to sponsor a race. (I read that on that TXBRA site.) Of course the author doesn't intend "we" to be the author and some other people, collectively. No, he means "we" as somebody or somebodies decidedly not the author.
Then there is the straw man-esque "they" not "I."
Example: They said your course had no flow. Of course, the critique isn't from some nebulous "they"; rather it is from the author himself who simply can't bear it to level his own direct criticism.
This transitive property of pronouns isn't new; but hey, they I wanted to address it.
"We" replaced "They" when the internet moved freedom of speech along. In my day, (yes before cell phones and dialup) a person had to be actually seen to be heard (and was obviously known.) He/she would say "they" making it clear that although it was his/her brilliant original idea (that nobody ever had had) he/she were clearly not implied as having responsibility for the problem, or solution.
4.Eddie Morgan wrote on Jan 5 2009 7:40PM
what are we talking about here?
5.the iDiot wrote on Jan 5 2009 7:41PM
what are they talking about there?
6.Malcolm Elliot wrote on Jan 6 2009 10:22PM
Somebody needs to clarify what we are talking about. Really, someone should do something. There oughta be a law.
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Southside
Posted by the iDiot on Jan 3 2009 10:15PM
Comments overheard from locals while we were setting up the Texas State Cyclocross championship course:
1. "You doing your community service? What'd you do?"
2. "Why the flags? Did y'all find a body down there?"
3. "Yeah, we'll come drink your body manana, holmes."
An open letter to Barrack Obama
Posted by TLG on Dec 30 2008 10:52AM
Dear President Elect-
We are definitely living in troubled times, if not full out crisis mode. The Hamas and Israelis are flinging rockets at each other. Environmental conditions are rapidly deteriorating as evidenced by 2 Trillion tons of arctic ice melting in the last 5 years. The economy is in such horrible shape that I'm scared even though I have a relatively stable job and just payed $25 to fill up my tank with gas. With that being said, I would like to propose a far higher cause that I would like you to tackle as your first legislative agenda. I think you will agree with me that this bill would reach across party lines, and unite a vast majority of the American people. The jist of this law would be the following; the MAXIMUM amount of time that your in-laws are allowed to stay in your household is 4 days. While I'm sure you would concur that most people have the common sense to follow the adage "visitor and fish both stink after 3 days", there are a few out there that don't heed that time warn and well tested fact. Especially over the holidays, this is taking a tremendous phsycological toll on our country. Though I'll freely admit that GNP is likely up to due to longer officer hours and the degraded desire to return home. Still, can you help a brother out? I'm begging you.
Coming from the era of personal responsibility, in-laws are controlled easily.
You invite them and pay for their travel, the first couple of times. Then you stop inviting and paying simultaneously and you have double protection against future visits. "Best defense is a good offense" strategy. Or is it the "They won't pay for the milk if they get if for free strategy?"
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Divide and Conquer (aka West meets East)
Posted by the iDiot on Dec 25 2008 11:08AM
!--####-->Much like the Spanish and the Portuguese divided the world with a treaty, I am proposing a map below to specify the riding regions of San Antonio.
On Tuesday, one rider was decidedly agitated because he believed he was duped into riding "east" to which he is deathly allergic. His geographic world view varied markedly from mine. That is to say, my take on "east" versus "southeast" versus "south" varies from his, so as a point of clarification I am offering the following map as a matter of clarification.
Upon ratification of said map, all parties will have an equal understanding of riding directions and any further complaints shall be handled thusly:
1. If Person A protests going into a particular region and Person B surreptitiously leads Person A into said region, Person A is entitled to one free wheel chop on Person B and every accomplice to Person B.
2. If Person A makes no complaint of a particular region until after entering said region, all persons on said ride are entitled to one kick in the nuts (or lady bits) of Rider A.
3. More rules will be created and enforced.
Point of reference: Point A is the starting point of the contentious ride.
The two 'Souths' are bound to be a point of further argument. Also the slightly darker part of North could be troublesome.
2.K bueno wrote on Dec 26 2008 10:55PM
Funny, I never realized there's a place WAY out east called "Nockenut".
3.vcSlim wrote on Dec 29 2008 6:22AM
I'm not sure your fellow San Antonioians fully appreciated you X-Mas gift to 'em?
4.Eddy Merckx, aka Flo wrote on Dec 29 2008 7:28PM
I think "South" should encompass as far west as IH-35. And I recommend you complete the map to include the West side sections.....just to avoid any un-necessary wheel chops or kicks in the nuts/lady bits if you ever ride over yonder and for my own reasons so's I know where I'm riding.
5.Eddie Morgan wrote on Jan 3 2009 3:57PM
I like the colors. They is pretty.
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rejection
Posted by the iDiot on Dec 22 2008 6:21PM
facebook rejection. it's the pits. be my friend please. (but not donnie o's)
Glad to have you home. Do not neglect the idiot. Lastly be friends to all. esp the Don
2.
wrote on Dec 22 2008 8:24PM
I know a couple of crapholes.......
3.Cockneck wrote on Dec 22 2008 9:37PM
You shoulda held out longer iDiot. I just bought my first members only jacket...
4.the don wrote on Dec 23 2008 11:14PM
do not let the fb put the idge out of business. no blog recessionnnnn
5.Eddie Morgan wrote on Dec 24 2008 11:07PM
I don't have that problem. No friends means I don't bother with it and can't be rejected.
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Ponzi Scheme
Posted by Malcolm Elliot on Dec 20 2008 7:33PM
Isn't the entire financial industry (public and private) simply a "legal" Ponzi scheme?
Or am I just not that smart?
An interesting thought on a Ponzi scheme is that it might be a rational investment, even at the last round of the scheme, if a government will likely bail out those participating.
Hey wait a minute, that sounds recently familiar?!?!
Listen to this episode of "This American Life." It's one of the best pieces of journalism I have come across about the root cause of the current financial crisis:
M.E.: No, you're not stupid (in this regard at least). An investment in a Ponzi Scheme is valued the same as any other investments or speculations in our financial markets. Both are valued by confidence in the return on and of the capital invested. When those 1st few folks invested in the Ponzi come out ahead on the other side, it looks safe to other prospect or repeat customers. That success that primes the pump and builds confidence works the same in any other kind of investment. The difference is regulation (or lack of it) that would stop people from betting with money they don't have and transparency that would reveal what actual risks are being taken with the investor's money. Letting a con man sell a "Ponzi Scheme" who has no skin in the game and no transparency, is the same as letting speculators (hedge funds) use credit default swaps to effectively gang up on Lehman and short sell it into oblivion, and allowed that one branch of AIG make default swap insurance guarantees with money they didn't have.
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Logic 101
Posted by Eddie Morgan on Dec 18 2008 10:05AM
I've heard of a few folks rear ending people while texting or playing tech phone. While sitting in a line of cars today, I was texting and got rear ended.
Mostly this was an excuse to write "rear ended" multiple times.
Who can name the rider...? No cheating. Rick O called it.
2.the iDiot wrote on Dec 15 2008 7:11PM
really out of my element here donny. john howard?
3.zlite wrote on Dec 15 2008 10:10PM
Ivan Vandiglebry
4.wenger wrote on Dec 16 2008 9:00AM
roy boy?
5.Eddie Morgan wrote on Dec 16 2008 9:51AM
yeah...it looks a lot like Knickman
6.Donny O. wrote on Dec 16 2008 10:49AM
Correct Wenger. Sorry no x-mas prizes.
7.vcSlim wrote on Dec 16 2008 1:23PM
And his 'hardshell' helmeted teammate?
8.the iDiot wrote on Dec 16 2008 1:39PM
Is it you, vcSlim?
9.wenger wrote on Dec 16 2008 1:58PM
just 'cause i like lobbing out wild ass guesses, i'm going to go with golf ball helmet wearer as chris tilford.
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Dear TNT
Posted by the iDiot on Dec 13 2008 2:21PM
Dear TNT,
Thanks for your inquiry into my viewing preference.
For the time being, all Saturdays will consist of the following programming:
1:00PM to 3:00PM Goonies
3:00PM to 5:00PM Back to the Future
5:00PM to 7:00PM A Few Good Men
7:00PM to 9:00PM Rotation of Chevy Chase films - Fletch, Caddyshack, Vaction
9:00PM to 11:00PM Selection of Patrick Swayze films - Road House (double weighted), Red Dawn, Next of Kin
2.TLG wrote on Dec 14 2008 12:02PM
You really need to branch out and try some new films. It would great if a friend gave you a DVD with a recommendation and you actually watched it! Not to mention returning it.
3.Jordan wrote on Dec 15 2008 1:30PM
Amazon has National Lampoon's Ultimate Vacation Collection including all 4 feature films for $17. Shipping is Free with Amazon Prime or if you spend $25 or more. Use Slick Fillers to find other eligible items to help bring your total to $25.
Included movies:
National Lampoon's Vacation
National Lampoon's European Vacation
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation
4.Maigh wrote on Dec 16 2008 11:13AM
So it is written, so it shall be.
Or something.
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Buy! Buy! Buy!
Posted by the iDiot on Dec 11 2008 10:42PM
Get ready to buy some Ford stock (F) on the cheap.
