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142 posts108 participants10 posts today
The #Texas House voted 118-26 to adopt a $337 billion budget early Friday morning. ... after 14 hours of debate and dissent. https://www.texasobserver.org/slowly-and-painfully-texas-house-passes-337-billion-budget/
The Texas Observer · Slowly and Painfully, House Passes $337 Billion BudgetThe chamber deliberated until 3 a.m.
“We’ve kind of forgotten about how big a behemoth the government has become as a surveiller of its populace.”
Our top story: Unpacking the millions spent on #AI-based surveillance of the border ... and how the state's gaze has expanded well beyond the edges of our nation. https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-dps-surveillance-arsenal-artificial-intelligence-lege/
The Texas Observer · Texas’ AI-Powered Surveillance Arsenal Has Ballooned. Proposed Laws Provide Few Guardrails.Operation Lone Star has turbocharged DPS’ surveillance capabilities. Lawmakers say they want to prevent Texas from becoming a police state but have filed only modest legislation to regulate use of AI.
#MichaelSmerconish claims he's a "centerist" on his morning #Trump circle jerk program.
"Biden's age and #inflation and speech impediment is balanced out by Trump's view on #abortion and actions on #January6th."
-Michael Smerconish
#election2024
#2024Election
Ask him about his public statements on the Governors of #Texas and #Florida sending #immigrants to sanctuary cities or his public statements on #hunterbiden.
Nice try #CNN.
Untitled photo, possibly related to: A Texas cattleman is distinguished by the type of boot he wears. Van Horn, Texas
Deadly measles outbreak does little to counter vaccine scepticism in #Texas
With two measles deaths - both children - in the state, officials struggle to convince communities to vaccinate.
www.bbc.comMeasles outbreak in west Texas worsens due to vaccine scepticismWith two measles deaths - both children - in the state, officials struggle to convince communities to vaccinate.
Farm owner near Memphis, Texas. He says, "I'd rather have renters than tractors on my place. I oppose the tractors. It puts too many off the land. I went to my limit, more than most, and kept my renters until this year. But I got seven hundred behind on my taxes, so I need all I can get"
#Memphis #Texas #DorotheaLange #theGreatDepression #California #JapaneseAmerican #America #undefined #photography #DorotheaLange
![The image is a black and white photograph of an elderly man sitting on the porch of a wooden house. He wears glasses, a wide-brimmed hat, a light-colored shirt with suspenders, and dark pants held up by belt loops. The man appears to be deep in thought or perhaps feeling contemplative as he rests his elbows against the railing of the porch and clasps his hands together.
The photograph is marked "Dorothea Lange" at the top right corner, indicating that it was taken by Dorothea Lange, a well-known photographer associated with the Farm Security Administration's (FSA) photography program during the Great Depression. The text above him reads "Farm owner near Memphis, Texas," which provides context for his identity and location.
Dorothea Lange is famous for her work documenting social issues such as poverty, immigration, rural communities, urban poverty, sharecropping, tenant farming, black communities in California, and Japanese American internment. This photograph captures a moment of reflection or concern from the perspective of someone who has been affected by economic hardship.
The image evokes a sense of nostalgia for simpler times while also highlighting social issues faced during that era. The man's attire suggests modesty and practicality, fitting his status as a farm owner near Memphis, Texas. His expression is serious but not entirely somber, indicating he may still hold onto optimism despite the challenges posed [...]](https://mastodon.ozioso.online/system/media_attachments/files/114/324/139/555/940/292/original/7400106ccf990db3.jpeg "The image is a black and white photograph of an elderly man sitting on the porch of a wooden house. He wears glasses, a wide-brimmed hat, a light-colored shirt with suspenders, and dark pants held up by belt loops. The man appears to be deep in thought or perhaps feeling contemplative as he rests his elbows against the railing of the porch and clasps his hands together.
The photograph is marked \"Dorothea Lange\" at the top right corner, indicating that it was taken by Dorothea Lange, a well-known photographer associated with the Farm Security Administration's (FSA) photography program during the Great Depression. The text above him reads \"Farm owner near Memphis, Texas,\" which provides context for his identity and location.
Dorothea Lange is famous for her work documenting social issues such as poverty, immigration, rural communities, urban poverty, sharecropping, tenant farming, black communities in California, and Japanese American internment. This photograph captures a moment of reflection or concern from the perspective of someone who has been affected by economic hardship.
The image evokes a sense of nostalgia for simpler times while also highlighting social issues faced during that era. The man's attire suggests modesty and practicality, fitting his status as a farm owner near Memphis, Texas. His expression is serious but not entirely somber, indicating he may still hold onto optimism despite the challenges posed [...]")
Replied to Texas Observer
>Shortly after, Representative Brent Money, a fellow freshman hardliner, introduced an identical amendment, only swapping out UT-Austin for Texas State University. Lest one think Money suffered temporary amnesia about the fate of his pal Hopper’s amendment, he quickly withdrew the amendment after using his time at the microphone to make sure his colleagues knew how he felt about “woke gender ideology.”
As an alum of Texas State University, the idea that it is some hotbed of left-wing activism is laughable. It'll have a protest or action here or there (sometimes), but it's no UT Austin (which is, itself, largely liberal and performative in its culture).
And, out of 216 undergraduate degrees available at Texas State, there are a whopping FIVE degrees---ALL minors, mind you---that could conceivably orbit around the LGBTQ/DEI boogieman:
* Minor in African American Studies
* Minor in Diversity Studies
* Minor in Latina/o Studies (technically a sociology minor)
* Minor in Peace and Social Justice (technically a history minor focusing on these movements)
* Minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
And, out of 130 graduate degrees, there are... none. Literally none.
So, five minors out of 346 total degrees of any sort, only three of which are actually under the Center for Diversity and Gender Studies. Absolute clown shit.
And as for UT Austin?
Undergrad (all under the Liberal Arts college):
* African and African Diaspora Studies
* Asian American Studies
* Latin American Studies
* Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
* Race, Indigeneity, and Migration
* Women’s and Gender Studies
* A few other ethnic studies programs, depending on whether you think they are "woke" or not: Jewish, French, American, etc.
Grad (all under the Liberal Arts college):
* African and African Diaspora Studies
* Asian Studies
* Latin American Studies
* Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
* Women's and Gender Studies
* A few other ethnic studies programs, depending on whether you think they are "woke" or not.
So, considerably more than Texas State (and most of them are full-on bachelor degrees), and yet, still only a dozen or two degrees out of 176 undergrad options and 196 graduate options. And all clustered where you'd expect: the Liberal Arts college. Again. Clown shit.
PREVIEW: “Becky Bullard: I'm Becky Bullard (she/her), the founder and CEO of Democrasexy, where we make it feel good to learn about power structures, and where best to apply pressure to try and change them, and also create joyful community, especially for women and queer folks in #Texas who want things to be different. My whole philosophy is that the type of change that we need to make here in Texas is gonna take a really long time. And so in order for those of us who've been doing the work to not burn out, and in order to attract new people, to have the volume of folks that we need to be creating change, it's got to feel good.”
I interviewed the founder of #Austin's "Democrasexy" about how we can keep political action playful, joyful, even sexy.
#politics #activism #TXlege #LGBTQIA+ #queer #trans #women #feminism #news #USpol #Trump #MentalHealth
How do we keep joy alive during dark times? On election night last year, I attended Democrasexy's "Carnival of Care" party, which helped ease the pain with drag queens, educational speakers, even a petting zoo.
Soon after I caught up with the founder of Democrasexy for her perspective on making #politics playful, spiritual and even... sexy.
This post is locked for my Patreon members only until April 18. https://www.patreon.com/posts/126463274
#Texas #TXlege #activism #LGBTQIA+ #women #feminism #news #Trump
New today from Joelle DiPaolo: The #Texas House spent over 14 hours debating—but mostly, just standing around—amendments during a marathon proceeding to pass its biennial budget. Here's a closer look at what finally passed ... https://www.texasobserver.org/slowly-and-painfully-texas-house-passes-337-billion-budget/
The Texas Observer · Slowly and Painfully, House Passes $337 Billion BudgetThe chamber deliberated until 3 a.m.
Texas DPHS: "The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an outbreak of measles primarily in West Texas.
At this time, 541 cases have been confirmed since late January. This is an increase of 36 since the April 8 update."
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025
Wegen einer Dürre klagen Bauern in Texas über Wassermangel. US-Präsident Trump drohte bereits mit Konsequenzen. Nun kündigte Mexikos Staatschefin an, dem reichen Nachbarland im Norden zu helfen.#Mexiko #Texas
Handelsstreit mit den USA: Sheinbaum gibt Wasser für texanische Bauern frei
Handelsstreit mit den USA: Sheinbaum gibt Wasser für texanische Bauern frei
DER SPIEGEL · Handelsstreit mit den USA: Sheinbaum gibt Wasser für texanische Bauern frei
Continued thread
Amanda Johnston is Texas’ first Black woman poet laureate. She spoke to @TexasObserver about how she’s using her platform to build something bigger — a project called Praisesongs for the People. This involves her recruiting poets from throughout the state to write poems for unsung Texas heroes. Sebastian Páramo wrote about his mother, a school lunch lady, who, he wrote, “taught me to season myself.” Mag Gabbert wrote about the oncologist treating her mother for cancer who, in Johnston’s words, “is carrying hope into each of these families' lives.”
https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-first-black-woman-poet-laureate-praise/
#Literature #Poetry #Books #Culture @bookstodon #AmandaJohnston @blackmastodon #USA #Texas #Newstodon #NewstodonFriday #FollowFriday
The Texas Observer · Texas' First Black Woman Poet Laureate Spreads Poems of PraiseIn tough times, Amanda Johnston is creating a community of gratitude with contributions from poets all across the state.
#Texas #springtime scene: #cows, #bluebonnets, rural #cemetery, and a turkey #vulture circling above it all.
#Visas revoked for #students, #graduates at multiple #Texas #universities amid #Trump #deportation efforts
According to data compiled by Inside Higher Ed & Texas Newsroom partners around the state, at least 115 students & recent graduates in Texas have had their #legal status changed by the US Dept of #State over the last few weeks. They’re among >600 people nationwide caught in a wave of visa revocations.
#immigration #law
https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2025-04-10/visas-texas-students-revoked-protests-deportation
KERA · Visas revoked for students, graduates at multiple Texas universities amid deportation efforts