June 27, 2008

Trans-Texas Corridor: A Democratic Process?

In our modern milieu, when a governmental authority asserts its power, the impact on certain individuals' lives is often lost on those not directly affected.

However, those that aren't directly affected should not pass off the issue as "not their problem," especially when it involves today's form of government.

Government ALWAYS needs watching, very carefully.

Whether the issue is right or wrong depends, in the final analysis, on the people and how loud a voice they can put to that issue.

In Texas, we live in a democratic society and the opportunity for the individual to express his or her opinion remains a fundamental right and an occasion for them to plea their case.

Given the Texas power structure, that may or may not be enough to sway the direction of things.

That's kind of where the pros and cons of the Trans-Texas Corridor debate is today.

Here's a video where a goodly number of Texans stand up and express their opinion.

9:51 minutes

Your Comments are welcome - look for the Comments link below

 

 

Heads up by TexanaTV

 

June 26, 2008

Trans-Texas Corridor: Boondoggle or Visionary?

The Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) has been in the works for years now and has been quietly promoted by Texas Governor Rick Perry, the staffs of the Texas Department of Transportation and other Texas governmental agencies and numerous persons in the private sector.

Although there has been opposition to the project since the idea softly made its way into the public's attention earlier this decade, the last two years have seen many heated town and county meetings where incensed landowners wanted answers from governmental officials about this "superhighway."

There have also been changes in state law that complicate things a bit.

What follows over the next several months will be a series of podcasts and videocasts on the subject of the Trans-Texas Corridor.  You'll hear and see both pro and con on the subject.  Your conclusions will be reflected in the Comments section of each posting, that's if you care to leave a Comment.

First, let's take a look at the story as presented by this well-done video piece from the Texas Department of Transportation's website promoting the TTC.

12:00 minutes

Your Comments are welcome - look for the Comments link below.

 

(Click once to activate, again to play. Double click on screen to enlarge)

 

Video copyright: Texas Department of Transportation. Heads-up by TexanaTV

 

 

June 25, 2008

Yikes! More Snakes!

Indigo vs Diamondback There's been a movement afoot for more than several years now amongst those who spend a lot of time in the Texas outdoors.

That movement is to nurture the endangered Texas Indigo snake.

"Why?" you may ask.

Because those of us who tromp around the countryside for whatever reason - work or play - understand how a rattlesnake bite can ruin our day.

As it turns out (and is absolutely fine with me!), the Texas Indigo considers rattlesnake a delicacy, as you'll see in this short slideshow.

If you're squeamish, I suggest you NOT watch this!

If not, watch... Click here to watch

 

 

June 21, 2008

Bill Leftwich - cowboy, writer, artist, Texan

Bill Leftwich HAPPY 85TH BIRTHDAY, Bill Leftwich!

Bill Leftwich lives and works quietly in Fort Davis, Texas. 

He's known as an artist, writer, sculptor, leather worker, educator and storyteller. 

He used to cowboy a bit and worked with the USDA down in Mexico while the United States and Mexico fought the hoof-and-mouth disease. 

But his love lies in his art and even at 85 years old, he's up-and-at-em every day - sculpting, drawing, painting and writing.

I visited with him about a year ago

Listen... Click here to listen
23:00 minutes
Music by Luke McNeil
under Creative Commons License
Podshow Podsafe Music Network
 

 

 

June 14, 2008

An interview with David Wilkinson, co-author of "One Ranger"

David Wilkinson pix In my opinion, David Marion Wilkinson is one of the finest, intuitive writers Texas has to offer these days.

I was introduced to David’s writing when I met Joaquin Jackson at a doowa in Houston, Texas about two years ago. He and David had written a book together … a book that has become a runaway bestseller – titled "One Ranger."

As a former Texas Ranger, Jackson told his story, and David converted it into exquisite prose.

David had written several other books before "One Ranger," and is currently working on a couple of others.

He visited me in San Angelo earlier this year and this is what he had to say…

 

Listen... click here to listen
30:00 minutes
Music by liveloop
under Creative Commons License
Podshow Podsafe Music Network
Buy David Wilkinson's books HERE

 

June 05, 2008

Wind Energy's Impact on Land Value: an interview with Allen Price

(Originally produced for Texas Rural Land News & Review which merged with The Texana Review in March 2008)

Allen Price Allen Price is an attorney-at-law and senior partner with the Smith, Rose, Finley, Harp & Price law firm in San Angelo. 

Mr. Price grew up in Sterling County and, after graduating from Abilene Christian University, took a law degree from Texas Tech.

He started out specializing in Estate Planning and Probate law but has recently become heavily involved in wind energy issues.

He's a rural landowner himself and has been a steady counsel for other landowners in negotiating leases with wind energy developers.

 

Listen... click here to listen
18:10 minutes
Music by Torchmatic
under Creative Commons License
Podshow Podsafe Music Network
 

 

Sponsored by
Capital Farm Credit
and
Stinson Dewhurst Foundation

 

May 29, 2008

Yikes! Snakes!

08 005_enhan If you don't think the warm weather has made our Texas rattlesnakes happy, have a look at this!

Watch... wmp_icon30

May 26, 2008

Elmer and Anni Kelton - a Love Story: Part Three

elmer_anni_web A continuation of my interview with renowned western author, Elmer Kelton, and his wife, Anni, about how they met in Austria at the end of World War II and eventually married.

Listen... podcasts30
18:23 minutes

Music by Barry McCabe
under Creative Commons License

Find Elmer Kelton's books at your local bookstore or Amazon.com
HERE

 

May 20, 2008

Sharon Spinks talks about her book, "Law on the Last Frontier"

spinks300 I met Sharon Spinks in San Angelo where she was speaking at an author’s conference for area high school students.

She had recently published a book titled “Law on the Last Frontier,” framed around the exploits of her grandfather-in-law, Texas Ranger Arthur Hill.

Several weeks later, Sharon and I met in Abilene to chat about her book.

"In a career forged in the saddle on scout duty along the Rio Grande, Arthur Hill witnessed dramatic changes in his working life as a Texas Ranger from 1947 to 1974. Whether inspecting brands, deterring smugglers of everything from cattle to candle wax, or giving horseback pursuit across unforgiving terrain, often into Mexico, Hill found himself immersed day to day in a world that straddled centuries as well as cultures." - from dust jacket

Watch our chat!

Watch with Windows Media Player... Windows Media Player
 
Get "Law on the Last Frontier" at Amazon.com HERE
 

 

May 09, 2008

Wind Energy's Impact on Land Value: an interview with Jack Hunt

(Originally produced for Texas Rural Land News & Review which merged with The Texana Review in March 2008)

jackhunt Jack Hunt has been president and CEO of the King Ranch since 1995 and has steadily worked to diversify the assets of the famous ranch. 

He also has strong views on wind energy especially as it impacts the environment along the Texas coast.

So I posed the same question to Mr. Hunt that I posed to the other panelists for this series

“Does the presence of wind turbines on any given farm or ranch property enhance or detract from that property’s market value?”

Listen... podcasts30
19:00 minutes
Music by Jeff Bosset
under Creative Commons License
Podshow Podsafe Music Network
 

 

Sponsored by
Capital Farm Credit
and
stindewhurst

 

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