Ted Cruz Needs Your Help

In what is apparently a serious question (for them), the Dallas Morning News is asking for public feedback on who they should name the 'Texan of the Year': Abortion Barbie or Ted Cruz.

You can vote here.

Texas Tribune Strips Concealed Carry Author's Second Amendment Rights

An alarming announcement from Texas Land Commissioner (and Lt. Governor candidate) Jerry Patterson (*):

CHL author stripped of rights at gun panel
Patterson disallowed from carrying during political festival held at UT


AUSTIN – Concealed-carry law author Jerry Patterson will join other state leaders on the University of Texas campus for a panel on the future of gun laws.


Known for carrying a gun in his boot, Patterson’s trademark holster will be empty for this event. Texans are still deprived of their Second Amendment rights on college campuses.

“So there won’t be any show and tell this time,” joked Patterson, a straight-shooter when it comes to firearm freedoms.


Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, will headline the one-hour discussion on gun rights at the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival. “The Fight Over Guns” panel will take place at 4:25 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at UT’s AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center.


A retired Marine and former officer in charge of a Marine Corps marksmanship training unit, Patterson will appear on the panel with Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas), and Sens. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) and Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso).

....

While Legislators were not allowed to vote on expanded Concealed Handgun Law (CHL) rights this summer, Patterson opened the door for guns to be carried in public places during his time as a Texas Legislator. Gov. George W. Bush signed Patterson’s history-making CHL bill into law in 1995.

 More on the history of concealed carry laws in Texas here.

* -- For the record, this press release was from the Office of the Land Commissioner, not the campaign.

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Contact Texas Tribune Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith:

Phone: (512) 716-8610
E-Mail: esmith@texastribune.org
Twitter: @evanasmith

Anatomy of a Campus Hoax

Start a rumor, in the local hack blog:

On Wednesday afternoon, University of Texas student Bryan Davis was walking to a friend's apartment in the student-filled neighborhood of West Campus. As he passed the University Towers apartment building on 23rd and Pearl, a bleach-filled balloon struck him in the leg.

Though luckily uninjured, the shock took "hours" to wear off, Davis told Burnt Orange Report. "I don't feel safe walking around West Campus by myself anymore."

This is the latest of many bleach bomb attacks on students of color in West Campus. Last October, the story made national headlines, as did the student protest for more safety.

 Which gets picked up by the Huffington Post:

University Of Texas Investigates Another Possible 'Bleach Bomb' Attack Against Minority Student

 And Al-Jazeera:

"Bleach bombs" re-emerge at UT-Austin

Creating Racial Strife:



Only to have, two weeks later, the whole thing turn out to be untrue:

Final tests found no evidence of bleach in a balloon that landed near a student in West Campus in August, University of Texas officials said Tuesday.

The student, 21-year-old Bryan Davis, had claimed the balloon was thrown at him near the intersection of 23rd and Pearl streets on Aug. 22. He said the incident was racially motivated if not “racially inconsiderate” during a campus rally that took place the following week.

Officials last month said preliminary tests showed that the balloon was filled with water. Final tests on the evidence, including clothing and balloon fragments, detected no bleach, officials said.

 The University of Texas' motto is "What Starts Here Changes the World"; Cahnman's Musings frequently finds that a terrifying statement.

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Author's Note: We live two blocks from where the alleged incident occurred; the frat boys in this neighborhood are equal opportunity douche bags who throw water balloons at everyone, regardless of race.

San Antonio Councilmember Summons Police Against Citizens

Bizarre behavior from the primary supporter of Julian Castro's censorship ordinance, via the Bexar County Conservative Coalition Facebook page:

Today at Diego Bernal's city council district office, recall supporters set up to collect recall signatures.
Unfortunately, the council man called the police incorrectly stating we were blocking traffic.

Apparently after being in office for 2 years he didn't notice the Traffic congestion at that intersection. "Wish he would have worked to fix that instead of passing the discrimination ordinance.
Fortunately the media was all present. Should be on the 10 o clock news.
See you all tomorrow at 9.

The local Fox affiliate has more here.

Barry Smitherman's Obnoxious, Transparent Tea-Party Pander

Cahnman's Musings had been meaning to comment on this over-the-top pander from Attorney General Candidate (and current Railroad Commission Chair) Barry Smitherman, but Agendawise beat us to the punch:

Smitherman spent approximately seven years in a plum appointment to the Public Utilities Commission. In 2011 he was appointed to the Railroad Commission, and in months the newbie appointee was made Chairman. This strengthened his position ahead of his first primary election, which took him a runoff to secure.

Also, his campaign finance chair is Robert Miller, a lobbyist and blogger who has been an outspoken voice of support for embattled House Speaker Joe Straus in his struggles against conservatives.

....

Though this is music to some people’s ears, it is the kind of noise that would get a true conservative mocked at full volume by every newspaper and ruling class voice in Texas.

....

When instead of a blazing fire there are a few token candles of outrage lit, but nothing uncomfortable, it is a good time to question the authenticity of the drama.

Sometimes what is not happening says much more than what is.

 Amen; read the whole thing here.

Cahnman's Musings has heard some VERY unflattering things about Smitherman's performance on the Railroad Commission; we've never looked into them, but we might now.

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Update: Gross....

Senator Ted Cruz on War in Syria

Senator Ted Cruz appeared on one of the Sunday talking head shows to discuss the ongoing Syria kerfuffle:



Highlights:

• The administration begins from the wrong objective.

• No realistic plan for success.

• U.S. should cut off aid to Iraq unless they halt Iranian overflights.

• Make Russia and China exercise a veto on the world stage.

• "Just because Assad is a murderous tyrant doesn't mean his opponents are any better."

Why can't Bill Powers Produce a Winning Football Team?!?

Here's the damage:

BYU made No. 15 Texas feel decidedly unwelcome in Provo, dispatching the visiting Longhorns 40-21 Saturday night. Texas led 14-10 early in the second quarter, but BYU scored 24 straight and held on for the big win.

The Cougars set multiple records in the game with an historic performance on the ground. BYU ran for 550 yards, the most all-time by a Cougars team and the most-ever given up by a Texas defense. The previous record for rushing yards by a BYU squad was 465, against Montana in 1958. The most rushing yards the Longhorns had given up in their history before Saturday was 452.

Taysom Hill ran for a 68-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the longest-ever run by a BYU quarterback. The record was previously held by Jim McMahon, with a 56-yard run.
Hill ran for 259 yards on the night, the second-most by an FBS quarterback in the past ten years. Who had the most, you ask? None other than Texas's own Vince Young, when he ran for 267 yards in 2005.

Hill fell just short of the all-time BYU mark for rushing yards by a quarterback. That record is held by Eldon Fortie, who ran for 272 yards against George Washington in 1969.
It was the first non-conference road loss for Texas since falling to Stanford in Sept. 2000.

For the fourth consecutive season, Bill Powers' Football program underperforms.

Cahnman's Musings has no idea what's wrong with Texas Football.  We do, however, know that when a problem emerges you start at the top.  Under no circumstances should Texans or Texas Ex's fall for Bill Powers coming smear campaign against Mack Brown.