Postcard from New Zealand

Tall Bryan in the ATL is doing a world tour right now. Seriously. Anywho, I received an email from him earlier today saying that if I ever decide to move to Wellington, there is a mailbox already waiting for me.

You will remember that a couple of times I referred to my people as Latinos. At one point I questioned when we became Latinos? Guess the folks in Wellington have known all along and are waiting for me.

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 10.0

WTF Saturday

I'm in a mood and I know, I know, I know...I shouldn't let things bother me but they do. Come on. The Cal Mobile has less than 17,000 miles on it and the transmission goes out? UGH. This morning I barely made it up the Shepherd bridge leaving RO on my way back to NoRO and then I had to coast down it, make a quick left, run a stop sign crossing Durham and get into NoRO. If I stepped on the gas it wouldn't go forward but I could put it in reverse and go 90m.p.h.

So being the creative thinker that I am, I backed into a parking lot, got the vehicle turned around and drove home in reverse...and didn't run over anybody. The dealership was open today so it got towed to the dealership.

I know. In the big scheme of things world peace doesn't depend upon my vehicle running. And other people are dealing with bigger issues but I really didn't need this to happen. So all I can say is WTF?

Trail Rides

As I mentioned yesterday, the Trail Ride came to town. Here are some photos of some them arriving in NoRO yesterday on their way to Memorial Park.

They spent the night there and then made their way to downtown for the parade this morning. Then they turned around and came back to Memorial Park and NoRO.

I went running this morning and all I could see up and down Memorial Drive was horse sh_t. And it smelled like horse sh_t.

When you see horse sh_t up and down Memorial Dr. and when you smell it in your 'hood...well, it must be rodeo time in Houston! Cowboy Up!

March 4

I'm getting anxious. The Republican and Democrat primaries are on Tuesday. My personal opinion is that it's too close to call for Hillary and Obama.

I'm hearing things about Obama that I don't like but I can't confirm all of what I'm hearing so I'm not going to put it out here yet! Although, Kenneth In The 212 was able to confirm something that I had long suspected.

This morning before my Cal Mobile problems, Ugly Betty (aka America Ferrera) spoke to me twice through the radio. She was reminding us Texas Latinos of our strong ties to the Clintons and to get out and vote.

Not only that, we have to vote twice on Tuesday. As Bill Clinton said the other day, "Texas is the only place that you can vote twice and not get in trouble." You see...we have this odd primary/caucus system where 1/3 of the delegates are awarded starting in the precinct caucus. So if you want to have a say in how the delegates are awarded you have to go back around 700p (and if you support Obama you can go back at 1000p LOL). Then you sign in and caucus with the Hillary supporters and I'm not sure what happens after that because I have never done this.

This is the first time that I can remember (and no I'm not going to say something like Michelle Obama about this is the first time I'm proud to be an American because well, that got HER in hot water) that I actually care about the caucus part of the voting. I think it is because it really matters this time and it matters enough to me to go back at 700p and sit there and see what this is all about.

Who knows, maybe by some strange fluke I'll end up at the big convention this summer? I'm sure I could come up with some outlandish costume that could get me on the national telly. Stranger things have happened. The reality is that the delegates that get to go and get drunk are long-time party die hards and all I have to say is you geaux! I'll be happy doing the precinct caucus thingy.

Back to Ugly Betty...

It's going to be VERY interesting to see what happens with the latino-hispanic-mexican-Bill or Billy or Mack or Buddy-vote because the youngsters are getting out and voting this time around and they're leaning toward Obama. So if you're a young latino-hispanic-mexican-Bill or Billy or Mack or Buddy, who gets your vote? I'm sure sus padres, y older hermanos y hermanas and sus abuelos will vote for Hillary. Will you divide la familia? Ay Dios mio!

Was it really Super Tuesday? Texans, get ready

While many of us were participating in Mardi Gras festivities and debauchery, 22 States and American Samoa were having primaries and caucuses. I guess when Super Tuesday was conceived, nobody checked the calendar. WHY would you do Super Tuesday on Mardi Gras?

Well, the folks in Louisiana and Texas had enough sense not join Super Tuesday. We had Mardi Gras to deal with dammit!

When the Texas decision was made there was much discussion about how OUR votes wouldn't matter because everything would be decided by February 6, 2008. Au contraire mon amie!

As it has played out, there are two BIG States up for grabs on March 4, 2008. They are Ohio AND Texas.

I'm warning my fellow Texans. Get ready for an onslaught of ads and mailers. Plans are being made for a debate on February 28 here in Houston. Hillary is confirmed. Tim Russert is confirmed. I hope he combs his hair. He was looking a bit ragged this morning. I think Bryan Williams will also be here.

Hmmm...didn't I hear Obama say that he needs to do a better job of reaching out to Latinos? Mr. Obama you'd better book yourself a ticket and get your ass to Houston well before the 28th and uh, don't leave Hillary standing on the stage by herself. I'm a Hillary supporter but I'm just saying...

And speaking of Latinos, when did my people become Latino? Wait. When did we become Hispanic? When I was growing up we were either Mexicans, Mexican-Americans or Chicanos. Where in the timeline of the history of the world did we become Hispanics and Latinos? Maybe the name depends on your level of education? You know...if you graduate from college you're no longer a Mexican you become Hispanic? And if you get a Ph.D. you go from being Hispanic to Latino?

Back to the topic at hand...

So Oprah, Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver couldn't deliver the female vote in California for Obama. Caroline Kennedy and her uncle Ted "Chappaquiddick" Kennedy couldn't deliver Massachusetts for Obama.

It appears that my people (Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, Chicanos, Latinos, Bill or Billy or Mack or Buddy...remember that line from that song?) could be the deciding factor. Hillary has a good relationship with my people. That's going to be a tough nut to break. I'm thinking the Texas primary is going to be a good indicator of who has the better relationships and can get the votes. Stay tuned.

It was reported last night that Hillary had to lend her campaign $5,000,000. Her big donors have maxed out their contributions. So if you want to raise some Hill, contribute to her campaign.

EDIT: As of around 1015A CST, Hillary received $4,000,000 in contributions in less than 24 hours.

I think the funniest thing that Hillary and I have heard is that if McCain is the Republican nominee, Ann Coulter has said that she will campaign for Hillary.

BTW...McCain, Romney and Huckabee will be traversing the State trying to get some Republican delegates.

EDIT: As of about 1115A CST, Romney is suspending his campaign.

2nd BTW...I wonder how many phone calls and mailers I will get that will be in Spanish? My last name would imply that I am fluent in the native language of my people.