We are having another of those needed fall mornings here. The temperature as I made the trek to the road with the contribution to the garbage gods this morning was almost pleasant. Sadly, the prognosticators are calling for 90° by the afternoon. But any morning that starts out in the 60’s is a ngreat day in my book.

++++++++++

As if I didn’t already have enough reasons to head for the mountains…Everywhere you look in Houston (especially here on the south side) they are bulldozing new subdivisions out of the fields and the woods.

7,000 homes planned near Fort Bend’s Sienna Plantation | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle

Dallas-based Hillwood has purchased a large parcel of land next to Sienna Plantation in Fort Bend County for its first master-planned community in the Houston area.The company, owned by Ross Perot Jr., plans to develop lots for 7,000 single-family homes on the 3,827-acre Sienna Plantation South property.

The South side of Houston is the last to start developing…Probably for very good reasons. It’s flat, low, and slow to drain. It also gets you closer to the gulf and the tropical winds that do occasionally blow in there.The past decade has seen some major flooding in Houston, mostly on the older north and west sides that were developed long ago. I would predict that in the coming decade those floods are going to be moving south as the development does.

All of these developments are at the headwaters of the streams that have been prone to flooding downstream for years anyway. Should make Houston an interesting weather town for a time, I’ll be glad to be reading about it from far, far away. Unfortunately, I’ll be reading about it with a vested interest since most of my family will still be here…

++++++++++

President Bush has been against this program since he was Governor of Texas. This isn’t a new policy of his, just old arguments.

Bush Vetoes Health Measure – washingtonpost.com

President Bush yesterday vetoed a $35 billion expansion of a popular children’s health insurance program, a move that left him as politically isolated as he has ever been and had even Republican allies questioning his hard-line strategy.

The veto, only the fourth of his presidency, underscored how Bush and Congress have yet to find a way to work effectively together, nine months after Democrats took control. White House aides were quick to criticize Democrats, but even some administration allies on Capitol Hill and K Street said Bush had only himself to blame for not finding common ground on a children’s health program that both sides profess to like.

This is one place that the Republicans in Congress need to be reminded who they work for. If your representatives are Republican, please write them and let them know you think they need to stand up to this lame duck and pass this compromise bill.

Here’s the message I sent yesterday…

To: Ron Paul (R), Kay Hutchison (R), John Cornyn (R)

Subject: The CHIP Veto

Once again President Bush has put ideology above the best interests of this country and the majority of its citizens.

I watched him pull the same stunt in the 1990’s as our Governor. I did not like it then and I find it offensive now.

I call on each of you as my representatives in Congress to tell President Bush that he is wrong on this issue. I will be watching to see how you vote for the children of Texas.

Please don’t disappoint both the children and Texans like myself.

++++++++++

Time to run…