Speaker Tom CraddickHouse Speaker Tom Craddick has reneged on an agreement with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to create a join House/Senate Select Committee to work on education funding. The Speaker says he prefers to wait and see what the Sharp Commission on taxation can come up with. Carolyn Barta wonders why the Speaker prefers to sit back and let others do the heavy lifting.

Click to read more ...

New figures from the US Census Bureau were released to day and Texas was the 6^th fastest growing state in the union over the past year based on percentage growth. Texas , the nation’s second most populous state grew by 1.7% from 22,471,000 to 22,860,000. New York , the third most populous continues to shrink with a loss of .1%. New York ’s population now stands at 19,255,000. California remains number one but its growth rate slowed to .8%. The Golden State now has 36,132,000 people. Overall the US population rose by .9% to 296.4 million.

The South and West again monopolized the list of the fastest-growing states: Idaho , Florida , Utah , Georgia , Texas , North Carolina , Delaware and Oregon rounded out the top 10. Oregon replaced New Mexico on the list of the top 10 fastest-growing states this year. The South now accounts for 36 percent of the nation’s total population, with the West comprising 23 percent, the Midwest 22 percent and the Northeast 18 percent. The South recorded both the largest numerical population increase (1.5 million) and the fastest rate of growth (1.4 percent) among regions between 2004 and 2005.

Lucy Kelleway writes a regular column for the Financial Times. She has a funny article this week in which she gifts the reader "with a stocking full of prizes awarded for stupidity and bad taste in business."

Here are some of her awards:

1. Most pointless and annoying euphemism. The winner is "Happy Holidays!" or anything with either "holiday" or "season" used instead of Christmas. Neither word is suited to this role: holidays are generally taken in the summer, and there are four seasons a year. The reason offices are closed on December 25 is that it is Christmas Day, and if non-Christians are upset by hearing the C-word, they should really try to toughen up a bit.

 

2. Most annoying voicemail message. All voicemail messages are bad, but the message for press inquiries at Microsoft is extra-bad. An insanely cheerful woman’s voice starts off with "Season’s Greetings! Welcome to the voicemail attendant!" The use of the word "attendant" is unfortunate given that the whole point of the voicemail is that it is (regrettably) unattended. She goes on to say: "This is the rapid response team! Unfortunately we cannot take your call right now …"

 

3. Most stupid management course. The most stupid course this year was the one attended by graduates at the Kennedy School at Harvard which had them honk like geese in the name of teamwork.

Kobe BryantMike says it was like watching a meteor shower, a natural disaster and a multi-car pileup, all rolled into one. It was horrific and spectacular. Fantastic and calamitous. Awesome. ... and awful. And you couldn't turn away.  But most of all people were rubbernecking to see the cause of the wreckage: Kobe Bryant

Click to read more ...

Go on a mental diet. Turn off the TV, radio and newspaper. Nourish your mind with a great book, CD or upbeat instrumental music. Take a walk, listen to the birds, breathe and observe the beauty of nature. Give someone a smile or a compliment and enjoy the warm, happy feeling your experience.

Ron AndersonIf the name of Dr. Ron Anderson sounds familiar it should. He has been president and CEO of Parkland Hospital since 1982 –nearly 24-years. Today, Dr. Anderson got a reward for service: a unanimous board vote to amend his contract to provide for a 4% raise to $515,000 and incentives for meeting various financial and service goals.

Dr. Lauren McDonald, chair of Parkland ’s Board of Managers, announced that based on unaudited financial statements, Parkland is expected to end fiscal year 2005 with a surplus in excess of $40 million. "This is the best financial year in Parkland's history," "Dr. McDonald also praised Anderson’s leadership in improving the efficiency of Parkland's operations, as well as his willingness to take on challenges such as health care at the Dallas County jail."

From the viewpoint of the Dallas Federal Reserve it is morning in Texas. In its latest assessment of the state’s economy the Fed notes that Texas added 13,500 jobs in November for a year-to-date total of 172,000. While the state’s unemployment rates held steady at 5.2% the state’s job creation engine pulled ahead of the national engine.

Texas has traditionally managed a higher rate of job and overall economic growth than the rest of the nation, but for the past few years Texas has stumbled. It now appears that Texas again moving into its dominant role. The November employment growth was across the board with even the airlines sector appearing to have bottomed out.

The Fed also offered an upbeat look at the state’s housing market. At present they see absolutely no evidence of a housing bubble or pending deflation in the housing market. While housing prices soared nationally by 12% in the third quarter of 2005 versus 2004, the Texas market only moved up 5.3%

Inflation? Outside of energy the Dallas Fed finds none in the state and even in energy it sees hurricane related bottlenecks clearing. With the regional Fed’s Beige Book and Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey both indicating strong growth both for the near-term and long-term it appears the absent an unforeseen catastrophe, Texans should see a very happy 2006.

Bill notes that the New York times editorial page is in hysteria that the US House has voted to keep in place the tax cuts that have spurred the economy by allowing us to keep a bit more of our money.  He fears, however, that what the US House accomplished by a 234 to 197 vote the Senate may not accomplish at all thereby giving the NY Times editorial page a happy New Year.

Click to read more ...

The majority of Ranger fans are giving a thumbs down to the Chris Young for Adam Eaton trade.  Norm think it is fair to ask exactly where the Rangers are going with this.  He thinks he knows and he is pretty sure he likes it.  Hint:  Ameriquest Field is the hero of the story.

Click to read more ...