Generating our own electricity in the heart of Dallas (update with $)

think2004

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Friday October 16, 2009 · 10:26 AM PDT

2009/10/16 · 10:26

I bought my first house, in the heart of Dallas, Texas, back in 1994, when I was single and had just adopted a dog. It was a cute 1100 sq. ft. bungalow, with hardwood floors, original kitchen and bath, and plenty of space for me and the dog. I got lucky; I found the neighborhood before it became "hot," so I paid less than the price of a new loaded Cadillac Escalade for my little piece of the American dream.

Fifteen year later, I'm still in that 1100 sq. ft. house, only now, I have been joined by a husband, a child, another dog, and assorted porch cats.

And 25 solar panels on the roof to power the whole thing.

think2004

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Monday October 20, 2008 · 5:22 PM PDT

2008/10/20 · 17:22

It was a late night last night. I had to get my box of supplies ready to go to one of our early voting locations here in Dallas County. The Obama campaign here is running what is probably the largest poll greeting operation our county (and maybe Texas!) has ever seen.

And what were we rewarded with?

A record-setting day at the polls in Dallas! Shortly after noon, according to the Dallas Morning News, the old record of 21,960 was broken. By 4:00pm, 28,217 votes were cast. The total was expected to pass 30,000 by the time polls closed at 5:00pm.

think2004

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Thursday March 27, 2008 · 5:01 PM PDT

2008/03/27 · 17:01

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Clinton campaign is challenging Obama delegates to Saturday's Senate District (SD) Conventions in Dallas County (which went about 70-30 Obama IIRC).

In particular, she is focusing on SD23. This senate district is in heavily African-American South Dallas, and it went roughly 80-20 for Obama. There is a distinct possibility that she may not meet 15% viability in that district, which will send 6 of North Texas' 26 delegates to the state convention.

think2004

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Tuesday January 29, 2008 · 4:22 PM PST

2008/01/29 · 16:22

The big news over the past few weeks, if you overlook all that little stuff about folks voting, is the economy.

Americans across the country are waiting with their hands out on their soon-to-be-promised “economic stimulus” checks. The amount of each check may still be up in the air – will it be $300? $600? $1000? - but what we do know is that the government will hope that pumping tens of billions back into the hands of consumers will stave off major damage that this recession will bring.

Let's face it. Whether or not you like the idea of the economic stimulus package, we'd all like to have a few hundred more dollars in our pockets to spend (or save) each year. But what if you could do that on your own? And what if millions of other Americans did it, too?

If you're one of the 15 million Americans who plan to buy a new car this year, you can. It's easy. Buy a car that gets good gas mileage.

Poll

50 votes Show Results

What's your gas mileage?

50 votes Vote Now!

What's your gas mileage?

I don't have a car - my city has great public transportation

3 votes

I don't have a car, but it's not necessarily by choice

2 votes

40+ miles per gallon

1 vote

30-39 miles per gallon

12 votes

25-29 miles per gallon

8 votes

20-24 miles per gallon

13 votes

15-19 miles per gallon

9 votes

10-14 miles per gallon

2 votes

I have no idea

0 votes

7-11 to drop Citgo brand gas

think2004

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Wednesday September 27, 2006 · 2:00 PM PDT

2006/09/27 · 14:00

It looks like major convenience store chain 7-11 is taking no chances that Chavez's latest comments about Bush will hurt its bottom line. They have announced that they are dropping Citgo gas, and will be selling their own brand of fuel. Read More

"Smoky Joe" Barton suffers heart attack

think2004

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Friday December 16, 2005 · 10:06 AM PST

2005/12/16 · 10:06

Seems that Congressman Joe Barton has a heart after all, but it's having some problems:

U.S. Rep. Joe Barton was resting comfortably Friday after suffering a heart attack Thursday evening in Washington, said his press secretary, Karen Modlin.
Barton became ill during a meeting at the Capitol on Thursday night and was admitted to George Washington University Hospital.
Modlin said Barton's physician, Dr. Jonathan Samuel Reiner, expects the congressman to make "a full and complete recovery."
Barton has represented the 6th District since 1984. It includes Ellis, Navarro, a portion of Limestone, Freestone, Leon and Houston counties, and portions of Trinity County and Tarrant County.

think2004

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Tuesday October 04, 2005 · 9:09 AM PDT

2005/10/04 · 09:09

I went to Lowe's this morning to buy paint. When I got to my car, there was a flyer on my windshield:

"VOTE YOUR VALUES ON TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE ONLY"

"THE HOMOSEXUAL GROUPS WANT TO PASS, THE SAME SEX MARRIAGE IN TEXAS"

Below the fold, I'll paste the text of the offensive flyer that found its way to my car in Dallas - the Lowe's in East Dallas, at Northwest Highway and Jupiter. Read More

Adopt a family? Does it exist? Can it?

think2004

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Friday September 02, 2005 · 6:41 AM PDT

2005/09/02 · 06:41

I want to adopt a family. I don't know how to do it.

I talked with one family outside a Red Cross shelter in Dallas on Wednesday, as I dropped off food that I'd just bought at the grocery store. That, of course, was before the Red Cross and other groups decided to publicize that they didn't want things, perfectly good things that many, many of us can offer, they only wanted money to do their own thing. I talked to two women, one of whom held a baby in her arms that wore size 4 diapers. They were there for lunch and help. They were lucky - they made it out of New Orleans, and were in a motel. But they figured they'd be in a shelter soon because their money would run out.

I want to help them, or then tens of thousands like them, who are lucky enough to still have their lives. I want to adopt a family. I'm soooo angry at our government that I don't even want to work within the system right now. I want to bypass it and help immediately. I can't get to New Orleans to save lives, but I can't sit idly by, either. Read More

Unified March on September 24 (with poll)

think2004

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Monday August 22, 2005 · 6:18 AM PDT

2005/08/22 · 06:18

The following statement now appears on the United for Peace and Justice website, regarding the anti-war march scheduled for September 24 in Washington, D.C.:

The two major antiwar coalitions that have initiated and organized for a massive anti-war March on Washington for September 24 have agreed to organize a joint rally followed by a joint march. Both coalitions will organize under their own banners, slogans, and with their own literature for the September 24 demonstration. The joint rally will begin at 11:30 am at the Ellipse in the front of the White House. We urge everyone around the country to unite and come out for the largest possible anti-war demonstration on September 24.
Signed by:
United for Peace and Justice
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition (on behalf of the September 24 National Coalition)

The ANSWER website carries the same statement.

More, plus a poll, after the fold. Read More

Bush wants control of the internets!

think2004

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Friday July 01, 2005 · 8:32 AM PDT

2005/07/01 · 08:32

CNN is running a story this morning is entitled U.S. keeps control of Internet computers.

No big deal, right? After all, the U.S. has had control of the ICANN computers, in a manner of speaking. CNN gives us a bit of background:

The computers in question serve as the Internet's master directories and tell Web browsers and e-mail programs how to direct traffic. Internet users around the world interact with them every day, likely without knowing it. Policy decisions could at a stroke make all Web sites ending in a specific suffix essentially unreachable. [...]

Thursday's declaration means Commerce would keep that control [of ICANN], regardless of whether and when those conditions [previously specified for ICANN] are met.

That's when the alarm bells started ringing.
Read More

Illegal immigrants and emergency rooms - more broken health care

think2004

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Tuesday May 10, 2005 · 9:23 AM PDT

2005/05/10 · 09:23

I caught this story this morning on CNN:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Health care providers can charge the government for emergency care provided to illegal aliens beginning Tuesday.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued final guidance Monday that sets up a system for reimbursement. Lawmakers set aside $1 billion over four years for the program, created by Medicare legislation passed in 2003. [...]
One group that advocates stricter immigration policies said the government's reimbursement of hospitals was the right thing to do.
"It seems to me that if the federal government has abdicated its responsibility for immigration enforcement, then it's responsible for making those jurisdictions whole," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank based in Washington.

Okay. This is the first I've heard of this issue, and a dKos diary search for "illegal immigrants health care" pulled up nothing over the past few days. I've got a lot of mixed reactions that I need to sort out here. Time for the voices in my head to argue this one. Read More

Baby William update: the health insurance Catch-22

think2004

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Monday May 02, 2005 · 4:09 PM PDT

2005/05/02 · 16:09

Some of you may have read the diary I wrote last Thursday, Our healthcare system almost killed baby William.

In a nutshell, this five-week-old baby (now six weeks old) of some very dear friends of mine almost died last week, and it's a perfect example of how screwed up our health care system is.

Well, it gets worse. Not in the case of William's health, which is improving, thank goodness. It illustrates yet more problems with our health care system. Read More

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RSS

Generating our own electricity in the heart of Dallas (update with $)

Dallas County breaks early voting records

Clinton challenges TX delegates

DIY Stimulating (with poll)

7-11 to drop Citgo brand gas

"Smoky Joe" Barton suffers heart attack

The bigots in Lowe's parking lot today

Adopt a family? Does it exist? Can it?

Unified March on September 24 (with poll)

Bush wants control of the internets!

Illegal immigrants and emergency rooms - more broken health care

Baby William update: the health insurance Catch-22