Mark F. Barnes

It's funny that the media keeps focusing on the "Russia is our neighbor" comment but they haven't seized on the obvious point.

Putin's head doesn't fly over Alaska to reach the U.S. The Russian capital is in Moscow. Moscow is in Europe. Flights from the US to Russia travel over the Atlantic Ocean. That's geography 101.

Obviously you're not a pilot, nor do you fly much. A Flight from Moscow to Dulles for instance, if you chart the obvious generic flight plan you are not going to fly over the Atlantic, unless of course you love to buy fuel and need the extra hours. I myself prefer Jeppesen FliteStar because it interfaces well with my Rockwell/Collins Nav Gear. None the less when you plot a route from Moscow to Dulles will take you almost over the North Pole. You'll cross the Norwegian Sea, the Greenland Sea, The Baffin Straights, Quebec, Ottawa, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and into Dulles. Atlantic Ocean doesn't come into play. The Earth is still round.

Yeah TBird I can remember going in there as a kid. There was a snooker table up front. There was a guy that hung out there that had just come home from Korea less his right arm. But he was a hell of a pool and snooker player. That place was considered a place of ill repute back then, my dad ate in the cafe pretty regular. Seems like it was uptown. Please understand y'all that uptown wasn't very far up. TC Jester North of 610 area now was country back then. I seem to think the was off of North Main, up around Hogan. I think that was considered 5th Ward. My brain just hasn't tuned it all the way in, hell that was over 50 years ago.

Another shot, I think this is Main.

Definately South Main Here

Thanks for the memory jog...

There was, for a while, a doubler-decker bus parked at Sonny Look's Sir Loin House on Westheimer until Sonny decided to have a guy dressed in armor and carrying a lance ride around in the parking lot on a horse.

In the 50's and 60's it was called The Houston Fat Stock Show and Rodeo. I remember Roy, Dale, and Trigger put on a great sharpshooting show inside the Coliseum. Bullet, Pat Brady, and Nellie Belle were no-shows.

Our phone number was MOhawk4-0798 when we lived at 4738 Stillbrooke. Switched to PArkview a few years later. CApitol was downtown. Who picked those names? A fellow NASA engineer here remembers the same thing. We were on the Redd Elementary football team together.

Went to Shearn Elementary on Stella Link before Redd was built. Tonawanda? Then, went to Johnston JHS the first year it was built.

Used to walk to the Chuck Wagon (S.Post Oak and Willowbend) to buy a Spoke Burger (hot dog) for 50 cents.

Westmoreland Farms milk, butter, eggs and ice cream home delivery!

There aren't enough superlatives for The San Jacinto Inn.

If you jumped really high you could bottom out the trampolines and splash the water in the pits that were dug for the ground level trampolines. After that, it was a go-cart track.

I remember watching TV on a Saturday night until they read the English poem "High Flight" and then went off the air around 10:00. Fred Nehouse?

Pin Oak Charity Hose Show.

Camp Hudson.

2Ks Ice Cream Shoppe on Westheimer near Sakowitz.

I went to Goodwill and bought a double breasted ('29) sport coat to go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It cost me all of 50 cents but it looked brand new. On a whim, I found a Battlestein's box and stuffed the coat into it and took it to the store in River Oaks to have it altered to fit me. They inspected it closely and then saw the 30 year old Battlestein's label inside. They did it for free and the store manager explained that was their policy.

We've got over 5 million people now, but in the 50s Dallas was bigger than Houston and Glen McCarthy's Shamrock Hotel was out in the boonies from downtown as was Memorial Drive and Lakeside Country Club.

Did someone say Fat Stock Show???

At the Fat Stock Show when this was still legal

Not everyone relies totally on cell phones. Weren't much good after Ike for a while, the good ole dial tone was a good thing.

If people only knew how wide open the container import system was, it would scare them.

I don't know about that, I did meet Mickey Mantle walking through North Park Mall one day. He was just walking along and nobobdy knew who he was. I just thought it amazed me. Is Lord and Taylor still there, I think they were there from the begining?

Never lost the T1 feed and Hardwire phone, all the fiber is buried. The CO's in the area all have backup power so there was no interuption in service. Direct TV was always there.

Please conspiracy theorists unite! I just don't see the big deal, maybe my head is in the sand and I don't know it. Could it be just the rose colored glasses. If they want to assign troops domestically for key assignments, call it strategy, not tragedy. I'd rather them here than over there. Our homeland security, despite the billions we've pored into it, is really still almost a joke. Sure they've slowed down boarding the planes and getting checked in, but our borders are still wide open. I'm still not seeing the threat of Humvees patrolling our neighborhoods anytime soon. NORTHCOM? You are referring to Northern Command I assume. They don't amount to nearly squat, what is the big deal there. Don't they just support our civil organizations? It's not like they don't need it. They came down for Ike I am pretty sure. Didn't hear ant bitching about that.

I guess I just don't get it.

No you didn't just actually give Michael Moore some credibility did you? 'Cuda, I really enjoy jousting with you, and you have a lot of really valid points, but please don't go there and save some self respect. I love ya man, but not enough to buy that lemon.

When all things are good, and the going is great, some people sit around and delicate flower about the "establishment" and how the Justice System is so screwed up. Sure it has it's issues, but hey when your ass get mugged or your house gets robbed, the justice system is your daddy then.

I not sure about the source of this scare mongering, is it the fact that they are training for Urban warfare? I got news for you, that's nothing new. Is it the fact that they want to have troops stationed at home, just in case there is an issue? I don't foresee any Humvees rolling down the streets, unless something breaks out domestically, and then you want them there. Just sounds like more of the same to me.

And I have news for anybody, The FBI, the NSA, and the CIA have files on everyone of you. If you have a social security card, you have a file and a number assigned already. You might not have much in it, but it's there. Some more than most. So get over it.

Yes, they are apples and oranges.

One is a charge that has NOT been confirmed of some improper voter registration drives taken by Acorn. While Acorn is certainly left-leaning, they are NOT affiliated officially with any party.

Another is WIDESPREAD voter fraud that included ballot switching, ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, illegal caging, thousands of uncounted ballots, lack of provisional ballots, race-based decisions on where and where not to place voting machines, turning people away from the polls illegally, and even FALSE REPORTS OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES so that ballot counts wouldn't have to take place in the open. These were all undertaken by either Republican elected officials, Bush activists, and even the Republican National Committee.

What you posted and what I posted don't even come close to being equal. Now, if ACORN is able to somehow get their registered voters' collective votes counted four times, then maybe you'd be on to something...

The last election was a total scam. The fAct that it wasn't reported on and the average Joe doesn't seem to care gives me little hope for 2008. I seriously think McCain will win the results due to much of the same tactics. Ohio is already up to her old tricks already. Just google Ohio voter purge and see what comes up.

Actually Kink they are more than "charges" now, they are convictions, they plead guilty a couple of days ago in a plea bargain agreement. That's one of the reasons for all the hoopla. And come on "Rolling Stone"? Written by Bobby Kennedy's kid? Michael Moore might as well wrote the damn thing. Does the, oh my god, "Kennedy" name give it some kind of golden legitamecy? You sure don't want to mention the Kennedy name and Voter Fraud in the same sentence. 1960 ring any bells? But let's not dwell on History, the thread is on 2008.

Ah, looks like ACORN will be this year's fetus/gay marriage/illegal immigrant/Willie Horton/insert scapegoat here

I used to volunteer for ACORN back in grad school. If you are afraid of ACORN or think they have more power than Wall Street Lobbyists to affect legislation, then there is NO hope for you.

I mean, how dare people organize at the local level for things like worker's rights, equal pay, adequate housing, and health care reform. The nerve of those (largely) poor people. They're so uppity!

http://www.acorn.org

The real reason the Republicans HATE Acorn is because they help educate people and register them to vote. God forbid we have more people participating in our Democracy...

I'm thinking it's the voter fraud conviction within ACORN that is front page right now. It's great to register people to vote, just not register them 4 different times in different precincts to pad the ballot box.

"ACORN routinely says it will clean up its act. Yet, given its decade-long history of voter fraud, embezzlement, and misuses of taxpayer funds, ACORN's pattern of fraud can no longer be dismissed as a series of 'unfortunate events."

LINK

Houston PD Dispatch in 1953.

Was digging around in the old photos I found in a shoebox tonight. Many of my friends know I lost my father in March 2007, well my dad was a life long peace officer and life long pack rat. I found some old pictures, that I think are from Houston in the 50's Here's one of my father standing beside his State Cruiser, prior to his appointment to the Rangers in 1954, in what I think is Houston. Maybe maybe not. Anyone remember that cafe? Probably going to have to dig up T-Bird or H2B on this one. Maybe Sparky. My brain just can't pull it out of the fog.

Rest in Peace Pop, we miss you.

Yeah well all those numbers mean squat right now. If Palin does well in the debate against Biden, or rather if Biden implodes or gaffes himself to death, you will see a 10%-15% swing, perhaps more. The few points Obama gained after their debate, will be minute compared to the swing of this next debate. You'd think she was running for frigging President, the way the numbers swing on her more than McCain. The numbers are so polarized right now on three major issues. She hasn't been in the pit yet. If she jumps in and breaks even with Biden, McCain/Palin can call it a victory and the points will swing. It will get those leaners that are still unsure on how she will handle pressure. She will be debated a seasoned politician that been in office since she was eight years old. If Biden gaffes himself badly there will be a huge swing in points. For whatever reason the numbers react more on things around her. Which really is insane, in the history of the office, I don't think a VP candidate has had this much influence on the polls. I don't think McCain would have gotten a bigger rise out of people if he'd have chosen the world class idiot Thomas Robb (current grand dragon of the KKK). This race has been stranger than strange. Bill Clinton has practically been endorsing McCain/Palin with some of his interviews on TV. I see now why Obama distanced himself from Hillary, because Bill would have to be dealt with. It's hard to figure his motivation these days, other than to get Bill on the TV, and plug his latest project. This thing is far from a done deal. No matter who you vote for, get your ass out and vote, it's part of the process, and it's the right thing to do. People gave their lives so we would have the right to do so, it's a right we should be proud of and exercise at every given chance.

See you at the Polls..............

You might try and do it yourself using the internal signal meter. If it's just bumped a couple of degrees, 1

Tacky.

Oh lighten up, even Fast Eddie Felson thought that was funny......

Paul Newman rest in Peace oh great one, one of the last of the true great 20th-century movie stars, man he leaves a pretty wide void. Some people don't know that he done a lot of great things in his personal life. He was such a low key guy, didn't really fit into the typical "Hollywood" mold. Married to the same gal, Joanne Woodward, all those years, when wife swapping in that business, was as common as changing your socks. Of his great success, more than $200 million, have been donated to charity. That's a big chunk of change. And for us gear heads, he was a car guy. Successful race car driver and owner, just the quintessential cool dude. I actually got to shake his hand and talk to him at Daytona in 1995. Was surprised he was as small a man as he was. On the screen he was bigger than life it seemed. But make no bone about it he was a car guy. When he was at the race track, he did want to talk about acting or Hollywood, but he'd wear your ear out when it came to cars.

Rest in Peace Fast Eddie, tell Fats we all said hello...............

He I call a spade a spade.

You definitely confuse me with someone who gives a damn what happens to any of these bureaucrats. You see all I care is what's going to happen to us the taxpayers. Don't care if McCain got good or bad PR out of the DC ordeal. Obama was there as well, maybe it was because they were summoned to the White House as was reported on all the Networks. They weren't crashing a party, GWB requested their presence, plain and simple.

And as far as Pelosi goes, your opinion is yours, but mine is that she's a self serving life support system for a twat. She is worthless in my book, not that many Politicians are worth much anyway. Pelosi, I have zero respect, support, nor do I care if she ever takes another breath. I have my reasons and it's good enough for me. You can have your own opinion.

If you like this Bill as proposed, so be it, get your checkbook ready. Me I am not in favor of any more funding, to these already over-funded slush funds, that are robbing the taxpayers blind, think what you wish.

All you BS bantering and partisan left wing cat calling, is really not doing a damn thing except showing how little you know. Do a little research will you. Go read my post in the Fannie Freddie thread. I a copy of “Agreement in Principle” relative to the $700 billion “bailout” on the internet, it's all over the place. Read what is being proposed by Dodd and supported by Senate Democrats. The one page agreement from the Senate Banking Committee details guidelines to be put in place relative to taxpayer protection, oversight and transparency, home ownership preservation and Funding Authority.

At first glance the agreement looks generic and positive, However, the devil is in the details. There is one detail that Democrats are concerned that Republicans will not agree to in the bailout agreement. That is if the Republicans even see the item. It seems that this issue may be one reason that many Democrats have hounded McCain and pushed for his speedy approval. Senate Majority Reid has already identified that it is McCain’s approval, not Obama approval, that is needed to secure the agreement of Senate Republicans. In fact, the questioned provision indirectly focus on some prior concern regarding Obama involvement with various organizations. Maybe that is why Obama would prefer being at a debate in Mississippi than being in Washington D.C.

House Speaker Pelosi’s cohorts are also hounding Sen. McCain to agree. They know that neither the House Republicans nor the House Blue Dog Democrats are going to sign on easily to an agreement extending $700 billion “bailout” if McCain refuses to go along with it. Pelosi does not have control of the fiscally conservative Blue Dogs who are not happy with committing $700 billion to the “bailout” effort.

In the “agreement in principle,” there is the effect of a major friggin' “earmark” which commits money from future “profits” to be given to nonprofits organizations like ACORN, National Council of La Raza and potentially the National Urban League. This agreement clearly evidences that the Government expects to benefit in the future from the bailout when the values of property rises and mortgages or properties are then sold by the Federal government. Now I though that GWB just asked the other night NOT to try and put any BS agendas into this thing and what do they turn right around and do? Try and fund one of their major slush funds, with more of my money> WELL EFF-YOU-SEE-KAY--YOU. Wake the hell up and see for yourselves, this is absolute BULLSHE-IT! Dodd, the Senate Banking Committee and other Democrats desire to pre-direct that future profits, if by some miracle there are any, not be returned to the taxpayers via the treasury but that they be used to underwrite potential questionable (maybe even illegal activities if the courts findings are proved) of certain nonprofits Orgs which have had a hand in promoting and expanding access to “no money down” loans for minorities, illegal voter registrations and extensive lobbying activities. Some of the very practices that have us in this mess we are in right now. Dodd should be indicted himself, that sorry POS.

Just so everyone is clear, Mark, are you arguing that McCain actually is an expert on economic and financial markets? Or is this an example that the sun even shines on a dog's ass occasionally?

If you'd quit linking worldnetdaily and the freerepublic, we'd start reading them.

Not claiming McCain is an expert on anything. But just putting it out there that he had made an effort in the past to address this very issue that we are dealing with today. TJ brought it up, and someone called him on it, and you know I had to get my boys back, that's how we roll Red. As long as TJ leaves the glue in the drawer, I'm there for him. Got to watch out for those kids from the short bus you know.

Now the latest on good ole Lyin' Joe Biden.

Okay he got a pass the other day on the FDR gaffe, but yesterday he said this during his foreign policy speech.

That was actually a great find by Mark. It is on almost every conservative blog website right now.

The funny thing about a rush to put things on politcal blogs is that problems can later arise like;

The 109th Congress had a small REPUBLICAN majority so the Dems couldn't have killed it on their own.

The 109th Congress had Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) as the Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. It never made it out of the committee despite there being 11 Republican members there to just 9 for the Dems.

The bill actually called for MORE government deregulation rather than less! The bill's fine print sought to transfer any remaining oversight from the federal government to an independent agency. It's all there for anyone to read in the link Mark himself provided.

Additionally, this bill came back in 2007 at the start of the 110th Congress. It was reintroduced on April 12,2007. Funny thing is, McCain was no longer a co-sponsor.

It was filibustered by the 109th

A filibuster, or "talking out a bill", is a form of obstruction in a legislature or other decision-making body. An attempt is made to infinitely extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay the progress or completely prevent a vote on the proposal taking place. Senate rules permit a senator, or a series of senators, to speak for as long as they wish and on any topic they choose, unless a supermajority of three-fifths of the Senate (60 Senators, if all 100 seats are filled) brings debate to a close by invoking cloture.

Having a minor majority cannot prevent a filibuster, and that's why it died on the vine.

When it was re-introduced, it had been so altered and twisted he refused to sponsor it, at it's currrent form.

Here's my thinking, most Major finacial institutions have a lot of reporting and accountability, was more regulation needed? Considering Freddie and Fannie did not have to report like regular private entities... yes. So what is the big thing about having to be accountable? It's only a problem unless you are stealing.

I'd be interested to hear what McCain's warning was in 2005 about the economy because I am fairly certain he's changed his mind since then in order to get elected. Heck, he's even stated that he wouldn't vote for bills he authored!

Okay Kinky here you go, in summary, the bill, S. 190, of which John McCain was one of only four co-authors (Sen. Obama being none of the other three), Sen. Charles Hagel [R-NE] Cosponsors Sen. Elizabeth Dole [R-NC] Sen. John McCain [R-AZ] Sen. John Sununu [R-NH], this bill proposed to amend the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 to establish an independent Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Agency which would have authority over the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac).

Bill S. 190

And this bill was blocked by the Democrats in the Senate at it's initial introduction. It was never even allowed to the floor for a vote. And on the floor of the Senate on May 25, 2006 John McCain made the following statement.

McCain's Speech from May 2006

Just the satisfaction of knowing I helped a friend of a friend............. it's election time you know, that's a s politically correct as I get.

[translation]'beyond next week'[/translation] :lol:

This is the only guy I would use H2B Call Mark Greenwood 281-841-7269