District 102 and 112 Candidates: Your Pick

The six candidates for the GOP nomination for Texas House Districts 102 and 112 debated January 22 at a forum at the Canyon Creek Country Club. Vying to represent HD 102 were Stefani Carter (incumbent), Linda Koop, Adryana Boyne and Sam Brown. Vying to represent HD 112 were Angie Chen Button (incumbent) and Jared Patterson.

If you are a conservative Republican (is there any other kind?) you can safely take the rest of this primary season off. All six candidates were eager to make their case as the most conservative man or woman out there. All professed to be anti-tax, pro-life, anti-gay, and pro-gun. There are far more similarities than differences between these candidates.

But let's try to draw distinctions, anyway, shall we? After the jump, some highlights.

Fort Worth Stock Show

From 2014 01 22 Ft Worth Stock Show

If I had a bucket list, somewhere on it would be the Fort Worth Stock Show. Oldest continual running livestock show and rodeo (1896). First indoor rodeo (1918). First Brahma bull riding (1933). First live television broadcast (1958). Attendance over a million people each year.

Finally, this year, I can check it off that mythical bucket list. Sure, it was a midweek visit. No rodeo. No animals (to speak of). No crowds. Still, you could get some of the flavor of what makes this a big draw. Everyone was friendly and, because of the lack of crowds, had the time and was willing to talk.

More photos after the jump.

Grease at LHHS

Grease at Lake Highlands HS: Big and talented cast bring slicked hair, poodle skirts and sock hop to life with great singing, dancing, and tech.

The Spectacular Now (2013)

IMDB

Spectacular Now (2013): Party boy teaches nice girl confidence. In the end, he learns more himself. Simple, sweet story. Very well acted. B+

S2L77: Dubrovnik

Somewhere in Yugoslavia
April 28, 1977
We drove for four hours beyond Skopje as far as the bridge with a hole in it.

Somewhere else in Yugoslavia on the Adriatic Sea
April 30, 1977
Evening barbecue on the beach.

Source: Personal travel notes.

From 1977 04 29 Yugoslavia

In 1977, Yugoslavia was still united and stable. Driving up from Greece, it was impossible to know when you crossed from, say, Kosovo to Serbia to Bosnia to Herzegovina to Croatia. It was all just beautiful, peaceful, rural scenery. It's sad to think of all the violence and tragedy that small corner of the world has experienced.

Dubrovnik is a walled, medieval city on the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea. Everything about it, from its narrow cobblestone streets to its imposing fortress walls to its views of the sea, makes it a visual feast. Despite being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was not safe from the troubles that came with the breakup of Yugoslavia. It was shelled by Serbian forces during the Croatian War in 1991. Restoration was apparently successful as today Dubrovnik is used as the city of King's Landing in the HBO series "Game of Thrones." But all of this was in the future when I visited in 1977 and took these photos.

More photos after the jump.