Here is Houston, Texas today.
I took this picture while I was out and about in Houston this afternoon.
Here is Houston, Texas today. I took this picture while I was out and about in Houston this afternoon.
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Today I visited the excellent new Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences. At the wildlife hall, this alligator will always be eating this poor wild pig. The Farish hall is worth a visit.
( Please excuse the brevity and the lack of links in recent posts. I've been having wi-fi problems at home. Focus instead here on the life and death drama between the alligator and the pig.) My father---at times a flawed individual---said he saw no difference between American and allied soldiers & the Chinese and North Korean troops who fought each other in the Korean War. Dad was a Korean War combat medic.
A possible starting point of seeing ourselves as the same is in our flaws and our shared brutality. We move upwards and with common humanity from that point once we let go of notions & vanity that we are something more than the next person. Please read all of NeilAquino.com Here is a picture I took today of a shipping container with an electrical transformer here in Houston. Everyday life is interesting and it is fun to look around. It's everyday life and everyday things we see that have the most value. With early voting underway in Texas, who can a liberal or progressive support in 2014?
And given how low our expectations are here in Texas, who can we vote for who isn't a far right wing extremist? I'll also be focusing on a small number of races in Harris County, Texas. I live in Houston. Early voting in Texas ends on Friday, October 31. General Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. Here is my ballot---- Governor of Texas: Wendy Davis I wish Ms. Davis had run a campaign more focused on economic issues and the refusal of the State of Texas to accept the expansion of health care from the Affordable Care Act. We need to expand turnout in Texas. But Ms.Davis is who we have for the top spot on the ballot. She could be worse. Lt. Governor of Texas: Leticia Van De Putte Ms. Van De Putte has run a hopeful and energetic campaign against far right-wing extremist Dan Patrick. Given the power of the Lt. Governor over the Texas State Senate, I'd ask that people consider looking at Dan Patrick's record and discussing this race with fellow Texans. United States Senator from Texas: Emily Sanchez With Democratic U.S. Senate nominee David Almaeel headed nowhere, Texas Green Party nominee Emily Sanchez is the best pick. Ms. Sanchez is the U.S. Senate candidate talking about climate change and fair wages for all. Texas Attorney General: Sam Houston Mr. Houston is a strong competent candidate running against a Republican nominee--Ken Paxton--who may soon face criminal charges. Texas Agriculture Commissioner: Kenneth Kendrick This is another race where the Democrat is not running a credible campaign. Green Party nominee Kendrick is well-informed about Texas agriculture and has a history of taking on big corporate interests. Texas Court Of Appeals: Jim Sharp Judge Sharp is the only Democrat on the Texas Court of Appeals and he is a kind and decent man. Harris County District Attorney: Kim Ogg This is likely the most important race on the Harris County ballot. Ms. Ogg offers a hopeful and more humane course of justice in Harris County after years of Republican control in this position. Harris County Judge Executive: David Collins There is no Democrat in this race. Why not cast a ballot for thoughtful and progressive Green for the highest office in Harris County? Harris County Board of Education: Melissa Noriega I know Melissa and she is all right. Make sure you vote all the way down the ballot on Election Day. The judgeships are important. Here is my post from a few days ago of things I intend to do to be of at least some impact in this election. Taking part in traditional politics does not mean that we should ignore things like the ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong or the recent climate change march in New York City. The work of freedom is up to each of us. We've got to make use of every opportunity and avenue we can to make progress in our nation and the world. Here is a list of ideas for everyday resistance to our often greedy and violent society. Please read all of NeilAquino.com My wi-fi is out at home and so this is the extent of my post today. I'd planned something else, but I need the wi-fi. I used the time I'd have otherwise spent on the blog to read a book instead. Early voting begins in Texas on Monday, October 20, 2014 and runs through Friday October 31, 2014. General Election Day is Tuesday, November 4, 2014.
Because of our wrongful Texas voter ID which is intended to keep poor people and people of color from voting, here are the various forms of ID that will be accepted at the polls so you'll be allowed to vote. Here are things I'm doing to help candidates and ideas I support in this upcoming election and beyond--- 1. I'm voting. 2. I'm asking people I know if they are voting. 3. In the next day or two, I'm going to make a series of small donations to candidates I support and also to the Texas Green Party. The Green Party offers Texas voters a needed option for fair wages, a sustainable way of living and more democracy. 4. I'm using resources I have such as this blog and my Facebook page to advocate for my beliefs. 5. I'm making this list and asking others to do something similar if they think it might be of value. It helps to have a plan as time growing short in this election season. 6. I'm making the point that Texas Republican Lt. Governor Dan Patrick nominee is a far right extremist who should give both independents and Republicans second thought at the ballot box. 7. I'm going to keep on saying that the Democratic Party needs to focus on economic stagnation and frozen wages in Texas and the United States, with the same energy it has applied to some social issues. 8. I'm asking you to offer your own ideas with a comment here on the blog. The work of freedom is up to each of us. Please read all of NeilAquino.com Here is a picture I took yesterday of the Martin Luther King statue at MacGregor Park in Houston.
It is fun to drive around where you live and see all the things there are to see. Here is the best Martin Luther King Reading & Reference List on the web from my old Texas Liberal blog. Please read all of NeilAquino.com WE ARE THE SOLUTION TO GLOBAL INEQUALITY AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CLIMATE---BLOG ACTION DAY 201410/16/2014 October 16, 2014 is the 8th annual Blog Action Day.
The theme this year is inequality. It is good to see this yearly blog effort because bloggers around the world are everyday people who do the work of freedom. Some bloggers brave substantial risk to offer their viewpoints in the places they live and to the entire world. As awful as the state government of Texas is, I don't face the risks bloggers in even more repressive parts of the world confront. So I'm glad to be a small part of a global effort with such good colleagues. (My friend Perry Dorrell at Brains & Eggs is also taking part in Blogger Action Day.) Wealth is increasingly concentrated across the world. In the United States, what is left of the middle class is economically worse off then 25 years ago. Our global economic systems, which all lead to the rule of just a few elites whether it be in China or Russia or the United States, are accelerating climate change and making sure that the most powerful remain in power with the use of constant surveillance and militarized police. There are other ways to live other than feeling our lives and our fates are tied to systems that don't pay fair wages for our work, pit us against each other, offer us junk to eat and destroy the planet. These efforts begin with each of us as individuals and as people coming together to demand something better. We all have the capacity to fight back. Fast food workers in the United States have been striking for higher wages. We all have the power to fight back individually and collectively. Here is a list of ideas for everyday resistance. Your thoughts and ideas on better ways to live and ways to resist the greed and violence of everyday life are welcome. Please leave a comment or e-mail me at naa618@att.net. Good and hopeful things happen all the time in life. Let's bring about a better way of living. Please read all of NeilAquino.com PROTESTS ONGOING IN FERGUSON & ST. LOUIS , MISSOURI---THE WORK OF FREEDOM IS UP TO EACH OF US10/14/2014 Protests are ongoing against police violence and police shootings in both Ferguson, Missouri and St. Louis.
It is hopeful that these protests have been maintained since the shooting of Michael Brown on August 9. The picture on the left is of protests in St. Louis. The picture is from the Ferguson October website. The work of freedom is up to each of us. We've just got to keep at it everyday. Here are some ideas for everyday resistance. Please read all of NeilAquino.com. |