I got an email from the Kinky Friedman campaign, and I thought I would share it. Listen, if you are a Texan, register to vote. Then vote. I don't care who you vote for. Just vote.

The political establishment is counting on most Texans sitting out this election as they did in the 2002 Governor's race. Then, only 4.5 million of you actually cared enough to vote. Another 12.5 million voters chose not to participate. I've heard every excuse for not voting. And as Kinky says, "If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates worth voting for."

This Nov. 7, there is a candidate worth voting for. Only Kinky has given voters a reason to return to the ballot box and take back Texas.

But there's only one way he can win. It's simple math, folks. If 4.5 million people - only 29% of registered voters - show up at the polls again, your next governor will be Rick Perry. But if voter turnout approaches or reaches 40 percent, Kinky Friedman will be this state's first independent governor since Sam Houston. If only 1 million of the registered voters who stayed home last time come out to the polls, the face of Texas politics changes forever.

If you have not registered to vote, do it now. If you have moved since the last election, you need to re-register. Sign up for early voting. If you are going to be out of Texas on November 7th, order an absentee ballot.

Kinky is right when he says he isn't running against Perry, Strayhorn or Bell. He's running against apathy.

People have died to give you the right to vote. Use it. You have the power to change Texas. Use it.

Texas is worth it.

Hm.

She does exist.

I thought she was like one of those 3D pictures you have to stare at, and she only appeared when you looked at Katie and Tom and crossed your eyes. . .

The Case for Christian Burkas - Part 5

Serena Weston, a 30 year old smoking hot lesbian PE teacher in England, was charged with kissing and fondling one of her 14 year-old students. Weston claims it is a vendetta against her by the girl's mother who, Weston claims, she had recently broken up with.

So what can we learn from this? First, do not ever have a smoking hot lesbian teacher live in your home with you and your teen daughter. Second, three burkas would have prevented this tragedy.

Have you heard about the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act that is in the Senate now? It will create a database that the public to access and see how their tax dollars are spent. The bill is stuck in committee because one senator put a "secret hold" on the bill, preventing it from coming to the floor.

Typical. Someone introduces a bill to try and make Congress more accountable to the people that elect them, and they show how much they think of us by killing the legislation. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) has been accussed and has not denied that he is responsible. Apparently, this is his way of getting even with the author of the bill, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who had stalled one of Stevens' projects, though, unfortunately, not the Network Neutrality bill that could create a seperate Internet for every service provider.

Why don't you drop Senator Stevens a line and thank him for all he's doing.

Remember: Re-elect no one!

Happy Labor Day!

We celebrate the the end of summer with a day that once meant more than a beer sale at the Mega-Lo-Mart and the MegaMart. Used to, back in 1882, Labor Day was a "workingman's Holiday" and used to symbolize orginzing at work and bettering lives. Today it means one last trip to the lake or beach.

This year, we have somethign extra to celebrate: For the fifth straight year, real meadian wages for working families has dropped, despite a growing economy, and Congress has passed themselves yet another raise. Government statistics show that the typical family works about 500 more hours a year than families did 30 years ago, because it takes two incomes to make it. And workers think work was better a generation ago, because companies then didn't slash pension plans to increase profits, and outsourcing was inconceivable.

Since 1900, Tax Freedom Day, the day when the nation as a whole has met its Federal tax obligations, has moved from January 22 to April 26 in 2006 (which was three days later than in 2005).

So our earning power goes down as government continues to demand more taxes (and, no, it doesn't matter if the President is Democrat or Republican. The highest peacetime tax increase belongs to Bill Clinton, who took the honor from Ronald Reagan.) And our representatives in government tell us how hard it is form them to make ends meet, and that's why they voted for a pay increase.

Finally, one other bit of news to make your Labor Day complete: The IRS may not catch wealthy tax cheats. But trust me, they will catch the poor tax cheats.

Steve Irwin, 1962-2006

I always thought it would be a snake that got him, not a Stingray!

Speaking as a big fan of "The Australian Pick-Up Guy" I want to sat how shocked and saddened to hear about Steve's death. I think I've seen every documentary he's done, twice, and have seen Croc Hunter Diaries a dozen times on Animal Planet. I can't think of a better role model for wildlife conservation.

Terri, Bindi and Bob have some big shoes to fill, and I send them my deepest sympathies.

But the saddest thing, is that I will never get to see the Jeff Corwin/Steve Irwin teamup! It would have been glorious!