Daily - The Austin Chronicle (2024)

And not a minute too soon, either. Perusing this week's City Council agenda, we find this bon mot buried in general Citizens Communications:

Jennifer Gale – What has the Austin Council done to the downtown area?

Yup, that stalwart fixture of City Hall and perennial candidate is is back. And Downtown sure has changed a lot since Gale left to run for mayor of Dallas. Hell, she'll probably came down to Second Street and feel as if she never left Big D. Welcome back – here's to stirring the pot at City Hall.

Like the 800-pound gorilla in the voting booth, former Gov. Mitt Romney has danced around the issue of his Mormonism on the campaign trail. Now his people have confirmed that he'll deliver a "much-anticipated speech on religious faith" at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum this Thursday.

There has been a determined effort to establish what campaign junkies call a narrative – that, while Romney's religious beliefs are his important to him, they shouldn't be important to the electorate. Unusually for a Republican candidate, he and many pundits have been trying to equate him to President Jack Kennedy, who also had to politically justify his beliefs on the campaign trail. Some have even noted that he's even come to the same state that JFK made his speech in (Jack was at Rice University, Mitt will be at College Station, if you fancy the drive.) But if this is to alleviate the fears of the Southern evangelicals flooding to Mike Huckabee, how sensible is it for a New England Mormon to evoke the spirit of a New England Roman Catholic?

Since Huckabee has also been given the rub by former world champion pro-wrestler Ric "The Nature Boy" Flair, it will be interesting to see if Romney tries to get some in-ring support. What is The Undertaker's stance on supply-side economics?

For political ruminators and prognosticators, the recently released, tersely worded lists of interim House committee charges sent out by Speaker Tom Craddick are a mystery, to be pondered over like tea leaves or chicken entrails. However, one would expect the intent behind the charges to be clear at least to the committees in question. Take, for example, charge eight for House Transportation, to "review the current requirements for driver's license and identification card holders in Texas" (our emphasis.) While this seems a peculiarly specific task, and it's hard to see the intention or the final aim, the committee knows what they're being asked to do. Right?

Eh, not so much. According to Laurie McAnally, chief clerk at Transportation, she received the list in the same opaque fashion that everyone else got it. Like everyone else, her committee is now trying to guess the legislative intent. Sensibly, she contacted Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations, who share charge eight, and they think (stress, think) it may be something to do with the Federal Real ID program, but they're still not sure.

Not knowing the intent of every charge is sort of the deal. While every committee has its own wish-list, mostly unfinished business from last session, the bulk come from Craddick's own plans, other reps and even (gasp!) lobbyists. "Two, maybe three we asked for," said McAnally, "and we got 10."

TODAY'S EVENTS

MUSIC | MOVIES | ARTS | COMMUNITY

The Texas Rollergirls came with a Christmas gift for their final home bout of the year on Saturday. It wasn't just that Women's Flat Track Derby Association No. 3 team, the Texecutioners, dominated 16th-ranked Duke City Derby's traveling Munecas Muertas, but that Lady X returned. Sidelined after a brutal take-down during the still-controversial world championship semifinal against Rat City in September, she strapped the skates back on for a bout that could best be described as a friendly (in all senses of the word.)

The Texecutioners' domination was almost complete. With a 60 point lead by first period's end, Austin looked unassailable. With a final score of 158-36, that domination looked like an obliteration. But much of that Duke City 36 came courtesy of 13, the diminutive but effective Katie Chingas. With her long pigtails flying, as jammer she gracefully sliced out some credibility-restoring points.

The increasing viewership for MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann proves that there's still space in the media market for a New York-based liberal. But who's not watching Olbermann's evening show? Seemingly, MSNBC's Saturday morning host Chris Jansing. This weekend, she began a piece with the following:

"An outspoken critic of the war in Iraq is backing off a statement he made while visiting troops there. Pennsylvania congressman John Murtha now says that his statement Thursday that quote 'I think the surge is working' might need further clarification.'"

Which is sort of true, but only if you don't realize that Murtha wasn't back-pedaling, but asking journalists like Jansing to run the full, nuanced quote:

"I think the surge is working but that's only one element. It's working because of the increase in troops, but the thing that has to happen is that the Iraqis have to do this themselves."

His argument was that, without the political reconstruction required (and proven to be essential by minor examples like, oh, the long-term pacification of Germany and Japan after WWII) this was just boots on the ground creating the illusion of progress. And who was one of the first members of the mainstream media to point out that Murtha's stance was being misrepresented? Keith Olbermann on Friday night.

A wig!

There is no need for anyone but these guys to ever blog about Project Runway. EVER!

Did you know there is a Canadian Project Runway? Hosted by Iman?

Well, the voting has begun. As I'm sure you've noticed thanks to the new Club Chron home page.

I had hoped to bring my run time down further than I have, but all in all I did manage to shave off a significant amount time. The input and coaching from our Team Zen Coach - Patric (provided by RunTex) has been very helpful. I would not have been varying my work out as much as I am without his guidence.

Many of our Club Chron group members have been talking about continuing on with the Team Zen meetings after the Trail of Lights. I think this is a great idea. I'm sure I will be out there as often as possible, picking Patrick's brain and filling up on the Tokyo Breakfast.

I've read up a bit on the Trail of Lights and it turns out that they debut the trail on the night of the 5K! How fun is that!? So the lead runners are the first of the general public who get to see the trail all lit-up. I've also been told that it's a great family run, meaning that there a lot of kids, strollers and dogs enjoying the first viewing of the Trail as well. So now there's no reason you shouldn't be out there with us on the 8th. You will still be able to register Friday and Saturday before the race at the Riverside RunTex.So there really is no reason YOU should not come out with a big thermos full of Hot Cocoa and peruse the trail with everyone else.

Since we still have a while to go before this blog is shut down, I will be posting a few more times. Tell EVERYONE YOU KNOW to vote. We want this to be a great success for the Chronicle.

drew