it doesn't make sense in midland either

Some odds 'n ends on Texas politics, etc.:

• I am trying not to comment on the stupidity happening down at the legislature this week. (WHY on earth would any politician with half a wit of sense vote for a bill that provides no new money for education given that the most successful primary campaigns were run by Parent PAC, a bunch of angry (mostly Republican) moms and teachers who just want something done?!?! WHY?!?). Oops. So much for not commenting. Just goes to show how completely out-of-touch Craddick et al are with our state. And how their goal has never been to ensure that every child in Texas gets a quality education, and therefore a chance.
• The Texas Observer has a nice piece on the obvious answer to our problems: a state income tax that would reduce the overall amount of taxes the vast majority of us pay while actually funding our schools. You ought to go hear Senator Elliot Shapleigh talk about this.
• Meanwhile, Kinky Friedman's new cartoon is really funny once you get to the singing part. Billy Joe Shaver, Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis, and the Dixie Chicks singing "save our friggin' state" - what else do you need in a political ad?
• Um, plus the best headline ever in the Waco Trib.
• I totally got a shout-out on one of my favorite recent blog discoveries, Blog Lubbock. Definitely check out this great site on Lubbock politics and life - the logo alone is worth an award.
• And, just as a reminder, the great apes are not pets or playthings. As a guy from everything's-pfunner-in-Pflugerville apparently pfound out.