Yet another reason why Texas rocks

[derby378]

Okay, here's an incomplete list of why Texas is so great:

President Lyndon Baines Johnson
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Gov. Ann Richards
Soon-to-be-Gov. Bill White
Speaker of the House Rep. Sam Rayburn
Rep. Charlie Wilson
Molly Ivins (not native-born, but what the hell...)
The Alamo
NASA Mission Control in Houston
Big Bend
Luckenbach, TX
The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que in Driftwood, TX
Adopted home of the nacho (all but disowned by Mexico)
Conan the Barbarian
Texas State Fair
Millions of darn good Texas Democrats

And here's another one to add to your list:

Bozo the Clown

If your town had an "official" Bozo, you have Texas to thank for him bringing smiles to so many children. Details here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=465936&mesg_id=465936

[KamaAina]

1. Hank Hill

whoops! not native-born, either.

"I was born in NEW YORK CITY??!!"

[hamsterjill]

2. Austin

Don't forget Austin! A town of intelligent liberals!!! I love Austin, even though I'm stuck in San Antonio!

[damntexdem]

24. May it ever be weird.

[tavalon]

I was stuck there for 16 years

Fun tourist town. Sucky place to live.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

62. My old college days! I went to that rich kids' school, Trinity University.

We used to go to the Riverwalk and gawk at the tourists. Bongo Joe and his steel drums.

And go to the Armadillo World Headquarters on weekends in Austin, since that's where the good music was.

I saw Taj Mahal and John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers (Eric Clapton's first band) there.

They tore it down and put up another useless bank. I miss the Armadillo.

[jobycom]

72. Really. I'd say the reverse. I love living here, but don't know why anyone would visit. nt

[Mike Marble]

38. Austin, a little bit of Berkeley deep in the heart of Texas.

I spent the 80s there. I understand it has twice as many people now, but my Austin will always be between Ben White Boulevard and Anderson Lane. Hook 'em!

[tavalon]

41. That area still rocks

But the Mongol or should I say Mongrel hordes are encroaching. I finally got out about 5 years ago.

[NeedleCast]

3. Texas State Fair

Nothing was needed before or after this one item.

I heard they had fried guacamole bites at the state fair this year. Texas has pushed deep frying innovation to new levels.

K&R

[derby378]

7. Hadn't seen those...

...but I did try a fried Frito pie at the State Fair this weekend. Not bad. Best with salsa and sour cream.

[NeedleCast]

9. I saw that too

but only because I was watching the UT/OU game this weekend and they mentioned it. Haven't been down to the fair since 2005. My arteries are probably cool with that, but my taste buds miss it.

[damntexdem]

25. Yeah, the home of fried butter.

And a lot of hospitals with cardiac units. ;-)

[yella_dawg]

4. Barbara Jordan.

[The Northerner]

5. Soon-to-be-Gov. Bill White? Are you sure?

I'd like for that to happen but it certainly seems to be a heated and close race by my estimates.

Despite this, I'm sure that many independents, moderates, and maybe even some disgruntled conservatives may vote against Perry because he's been there for so long.

[jobycom]

6. We're not non-sure...

That's a big improvement from the last few elections.

[Richardo]

19. !!

"We're not non-sure."

:rofl: I LOVE that! :thumbsup:

[Subdivisions]

16. I'm sure. n/t

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. The Nacho was invented in Piedras Negras, Mexico.

Right across from Eagle Pass, SW of San Antonio.

Invented at the Cafe Moderno, which is the fanciest restaurant in town, by a guy named Ignacio; hence the name "nacho".


Don't forget Barbara Charline Jordan, Mickey Leland and Craig Washington and John Henry Faulk, the sage of Madisonville and the star storyteller of 'Hee-Haw'.

Craig Washington is one of the most brilliant lawyers in Houston. I've seen him try cases.


"Hee-Haw" is a documentary about Oklahoma.

"King of the Hill" is a documentary about Texas.

:rofl:

[derby378]

11. I knew about Piedras Negras and Ignacio...

...but is there any restaurant in Mexico that admits to serving nachos? That's why I mentioned Texas as its adopted home.

[hamsterjill]

76. Ah, the Moderno!

I remember eating there as a child when we would cross the border to shop.

[madinmaryland]

10. George W. Bush, Tom Delay, Rick Perry, Kay Bailey Hutchison,...

:hide:

[madinmaryland]

13. Maryland luminaries: Spiro T. Agnew, Michael Steele, Alan Keyes...

:popcorn:

[derby378]

15. You DO know Bush was not born in Texas, right?

Native of New Haven, Connecticut. And for that, we send our deepest sympathies to New Haven.

[tavalon]

37. Yep, the Kennebunkport Texan, we called him

That, and all hat, no cattle.

[driver8]

42. My father was from Texas -- drove him absolutely crazy that Shrub called himself a "Texan". n/t

[madinmaryland]

43. Lighten up, Francis! * is always going to be associated with Texas

due to his being governor. You did see my other post about Maryland. All states have scaliwags.

[Richardo]

12. Bill Moyers

Born in Oklahoma, but raised in Texas.

[WolverineDG]

28. Dan Rather & Walter Cronkite (he attended UT) nt

[Manifestor_of_Light]

61. Both from Houston. I remember Dan Rather at KHOU.

Reporting on Hurricane Carla when I was a wee tot.

KHOU-TV CBS is famous for firing talent. They fired Jessica Savitch before she got to the big time.

Hannah Storm was a sports reporter on a rock station, 97 Rock, with a guy named Moby, back in the 80s. He used to play songs like "The Scotsman" and "Eat It".

[WolverineDG]

63. Lad, I don't know where ya been, but I see ya won first prize

:evilgrin:

love that song

dg

[virgogal]

14. The Riverwalk at night just before Christmas. Blew my mind.

[KansasVoter]

17. Wow, Bush counters all of that!

[derby378]

33. Says who?

Bush isn't a native of Texas - neither was Molly Ivins, for that matter, but at least she embraced Texas. Bush has only ever been in love with himself.

[abq e streeter]

18. And Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison,Bobby Keys, Roky Erikson, the Vaughan brothers, Janis Joplin

Lyle Lovett,,Joe Tex, Marcia Ball, The Big Bopper, Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, Chet Helms, Lou Ann Barton, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Selena, The Dixie Chicks, Bob Wills, Albert Collins etc etc etc......
As a New Mexican who has engaged in a fair amount of friendly Texas-bashing in my career,I still gotta take my hat off to you Texans; y'all created some of the greatest music this country ever heard. Texas does indeed rock.

[XOKCowboy]

22. I'd add Jerry Jeff but you hit about all the local Texas music icons..

As an ex-Okie I do my share of Texas bashing (especially after last weekend) but I always have fun down in Texas. A state shouldn't be defined by a carpetbagging Yalie.

[abq e streeter]

30. Just off the top of my head; I'm sure there are dozens more great ones I left out

Townes Van Zant, Archie Bell, and the ZZ Top boys for starters

[XOKCowboy]

53. We can't forget Ray Wylie Hubbard either. *tipping hat*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E24C4NY0ga8

:toast:

[Mike Marble]

39. I've seen most of these performers in Austin.

At Antone's, Armadillo World Headquarters, Soap Creek Saloon, Libety Lunch, and the like. Ah, those were the days.

Are any of them left?

[derby378]

50. The Hope Trust, Old 97's, Toadies, Caulk...

...and a little Denton-based group named Baboon, featuring my brother Steve as percussionist. They even performed on a 1996 episode of Walker: Texas Ranger.

[donheld]

74. The Texas board of Education says those people

don't even exist. :eyes:

[petersjo02]

20. IIRC, Eisenhower was born in Abilene, Kansas.

That's what they told us in Abilene, anyway.

[damntexdem]

23. No, he was born in Texas and raised in Abilene, KS.

But Abilene is where they put his presidential museum.

Although he then went to live in Gettysburg, PA.

[damntexdem]

21. Well, the Alamo was a great victory ...

although it was a battle won in a war that was lost. ;-)

[tularetom]

26. Tubing the Guadalupe

30 years ago it was a great way to spend a day. Like anything else it's probably gotten popular and commercialized now but it used to be bitchin.

[tavalon]

40. Dammit, I spend all this time talking about what hell Texas was

and you blow it out of the water (intentional) with that one remark. And the old Schlitterbahn, when it was still on the side of the hill and you could go home with many an abrasion and or contusion. Sigh, good memories!

[tularetom]

47. Gruene Hall?

Another place where I spent a lot of time.

[tavalon]

48. I loved that place

Going to the little wine tasting bar just down the way, getting a bit tipsy, then getting a real fruit wine cooler at the restaurant by the Hall (can't remember the name of it). I never actually went to Gruene Hall but it looked cool from the outside.

[Motown_Johnny]

27. we already knew that there were tons of Bozos coming out of Texas

what's your point?

[TexasObserver]

29. Gary P. Nunn's song about Texas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGukLuXzH1E

[pipoman]

Of coarse Ike moved to Kansas when he was 2 years old....

but to the point... I have never (since adulthood) trusted clowns who choose to entertain children exclusively, as opposed to rodeo clowns or even circus clowns..I'm sure it is just me..

[David Zephyr]

31. All of the above. And then, there is also this reason to love Texas

[tavalon]

44. Ah, the bluebonnets! It's an almost perfect picture!

But where is the post turtle? ;)

[AldebTX]

49. Bluebonnets are the Best Part of Spring

(and the 2 weeks of perfect temps before the heat hits)

[proteus_lives]

32. I'm glad someone remembered Robert E. Howard!

:thumbsup:

[tavalon]

34. That is a title I never thought I would see

And I lived in that &^&%^ state for over 20 years. 20 long years.

[ThatsMyBarack]

35. "Rattlesnake" chili....

On top of Texas-shaped pasta. :9

My mom made this for me once decades ago. She said she used "real rattlesnake meat", but I think it was chicken....

[elehhhhna]

36. derby ... you forgot YOU!

Silly.

[derby378]

51. Aw, shucks...

...although I think a few DUers would disagree with that statement, you are so sweet to make it. :blush:

[A-Schwarzenegger]

45. Austin Stories.

Short-lived but sweet.

[BabbaTam]

46. music, music, music

Don't forget the Armadillo World Headquarters! And don't forget to thank 'Shiva's Headband' for funding it. :hippie:

[lostnfound]

52. Jim Hightower. KPFT in Houston. nt

[sakabatou]

54. AronRa!

[bvar22]

55. My Populist roots are in rural NE Texas.

Here is one of my favorite Texans:

(Outside the Governor's Mansion, occupied by Republican Rick Perry)

[NoGOPZone]

56. You forgot Smilin' Ralph Yarborough

maybe Texas greatest liberal.

[n2doc]

57. Lockhart TX- Home of Blacks, Kreutz's and Smitty's BBQ

Best I had there. Ruby's in Austin wasn't bad either. Miss that stuff, especially the sauces.

[martymar64]

59. I love Ruby's

Took my nephew there when he visited.
Great brisket.

[marmar]

58. How could you leave out Sheila Jackson-Lee?

nt

[martymar64]

60. Bob Wills and Willie Nelson

Jerry Hall and Morgan Fairchild.
Farrah Fawcett and Shannon Elizabeth.
Matthew Macoughnahay and Tommy Lee Jones.
Anne Miller and Tommy Tune.
Alan Lomax and Blind Lemon Jefferson
Bill Hicks and Steve Martin

I could go on and on . . .

[saltpoint]

64. You're making me awful homesick for Governor Richards.

What a terrific soul. I miss her.

Also, I came to a deeper respect for the Lone Star State through the lens of one of its best chroniclers: Larry McMurtry.

THE LAST PICTURE SHOW is as good a novel as one has a right to ask for.

[KansasVoter]

65. I hate Texas! And OK also. And Kansas! All idiotic red states!

[Lisa0825]

66. Tex-Mex.... YUM. nt

[BolivarianHero]

67. "Rep. Charlie Wilson"

Charlie Wilson is a major reason for all the shit going on in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's not something to be proud of.

[donheld]

68. Nice history lesson

The present, and more resent state of Texas is fast erasing any of those fond memories.

[Lisa0825]

73. Texas is turning Blue.... just wait and see..... nt

[w8liftinglady]

69. Dr. Robert Haley at UTSW-who discovered Gulf War Syndrome

http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept29100/files/94867.html


and has devoted himself tirelessly to getting it the recognition it deserves...

[w8liftinglady]

70. my favorite alternative band,Drowning Pool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWyk8hh4Prw

[AwakeAtLast]

71. Matt the Electrician

http://www.matttheelectrician.com/

Plus, my sister lives in Austin and that means I get to visit from time to time.

So with you on the Salt Lick! I will add Smitty's to the list. :9

[PJPhreak]

75. Stubb's BBQ,6 th Street,The Omletree,Rita's Cantina,Chuy's...

Auditorium Shores,Barton Springs,Spider House,Eeyores Birthday Party,Yellow Bike Project,The Drag,Moontowers,Griffs,Teds Steak House,the Texas Chili Parlor,Pecan St Grill,Wilies,Maggie Mays,The Thunderbird,...

Can one tell I was part of the Austin Restaurant Scene Back In the Day?

My one real complaint about Austin?....Ya'll totally fucked up the Austin Skyline,The downtown has really lost its "Funky Charm" that it had 30 years ago!!

[callous taoboy]

77. How could you leave out the Thirteenth Floor Elevators? How?