Texas Weekly and the Quorum Report are reporting that state Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Round Rock, has decided not to run for re-election in 2008. The 48-year-old Krusee has represented District 52, which covers the southeastern half of Williamson County, since 1993. Thus far, his only announced opponent for 2008 had been Democrat Diana Maldonado. Krusee had come under fire in some corners for his support of toll roads and the Trans-Texas Corridor and from others for standing up to Speaker of the House Tom Craddick during last spring's power struggle at the Lege.

In the race for the White House, there seems to be an endless slew of Republican and Democratic presidential candidates trading punches over who has or hasn’t lurched furthest to the right. But there’s another overcrowded party primary in progress: the Green Party. So far, there are seven Greens in the running, including Texan candidate Kat Swift. The highest-profile runner is former Georgia U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney, currently on the Illinois ballot. She’ll be swinging through Austin on Dec. 5 as part of her attempt to get on the slate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

McKinney has a rep as a firebrand, unafraid to take on causes she supports very publicly. Like any firebrand, that’s brought her major victories, like her strong support for international human-rights legislation. She led by example, like getting the Georgia state house to reverse its ridiculous rule banning female reps from wearing pants by wearing slacks to session. But she was also the rep that punched a U.S. Capitol police officer in the chest and called Al Gore racist.

After those little incidents, she lost her seat after going down in a primary run-off to eventual general election winner Henry “Hank” Johnson Jr. When she finally switched party allegiances last October, it wasn’t totally unexpected: The Georgia Green Party tried to draft her as Ralph Nader’s running-mate in 2000 and his replacement in 2004 when he decided not to run as the Green presidential candidate.

McKinney will be hosted by the Green Party of Texas at Ruta Maya at 7pm on Dec. 5.

Not to any great surprise, a study done at the University of Texas shows that football game days have students boozing harder and longer than any other days of the year, including holidays such as New Year's Eve and Halloween. Kim Fromme, psychologist and director of UT's Studies on Alcohol, Health, and Risky Activities Lab, co-wrote the report, which was printed in the November issue of Addictive Behaviors, with Dan J. Neal of Kent State University.

Through my own experience as a bartender in the alumni tents near the stadium, I can assure you that folks start drinking on game days at least one-two hours before the game even starts and, if the Longhorns win, can continue long after the football game is over. No matter how early the game starts, you can bet there will be a whole lotta drinkin' goin' on: For the first game of 2006, we opened the tent at 9am (the game started at 11am), and, sure enough, people came pouring into the tent and over to the bar in order to get an early start on game-day festivities.

Registered voters in Travis County should start receiving their new voter certificates this week, with the first being delivered today. If you don't get yours soon, check in with Nelda Wells Spears, the county tax assessor-collector and voter registrar. Reasons why you may not have received one include: you moved or you haven't been voting in recent elections. See the press release after the jump:

I've heard a rumor about the Trail of Lights 5k, and I'm really holding on to the fact that it will be true. The rumor is that since the race is so popular, it gets crowded with strollers, dogs and people, that you really end up walking it. I'm really hoping that this is true, because I am in no way ready to run it! I won't be one of those people trying to run around others, I'll go with the flow! And I hope that flow is slow! The holidays were good for me, but took their toll on any training I was doing. The only training during the holiday I was doing, was professional pie eating contest training. HA! We were to do our 5 miles two weeks ago, and I only ended up doing 2 (although did it with the baby in the stroller, which I think that the stroller plus 20 lbs of baby does add some good resistance to the workout!) And this past weekend, I was busy dropping off my mom and gram at the airport in the rain, while Ingrid did her thing on the trails at Town Lake (Go Ingrid!) There was no way I was making it out there. I can only hope that I can step it up here these last two weeks and do some training during the week again so that I can enjoy the race (walking or running, however it may be!) It's been a great journey so far - and a great group of folks out there on Team Zen. Wish us all luck - it's the home stretch guys!

Austin, Well my thanks giving was very filling. I went to Dallas, I was on my way to 24 hour fitness on Saturday at 8:00am. In the car with me were my two little cousins. A sheet dropped out of my gym bag and here stood a ten year old telling me" james you are not a loser, it should say biggest winner cause that is what you are!" I cried inside that was such kind words and very true. I am a biggest winner, here is the last training week and I have achieved a lot that I was not really expecting. I take the stairs more than the elevator, I am eating better than I did before, Now, that I have new kicks I  have started jogging now, I dedicated in using my gym membership to my benefit, Giving me the confident of doing better I have met some wonderful people from this group, and hope to keep the friendship alive. So Saturday I did: Treadmill for 30 minutes, Bike for 30 minutes, Lifted 2 sets of 8reps weights, About 45 crunches After workout I hung out at my parents house with my cousins, then me and my dad went to play some pool (He is the one that taught me how to originally play) and now I'm going on 7 wins and 1 loss league. My staff and I will be photographing the " Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Award Ceremony" which will be a great way to give back to the community.  Just recently I believe I found that I like giving back community or helping others.  It give me a great feeling that I am doing my part, and once that certain event is done I feel good.  So I will blog more soon, and to my team I will see you this coming weekend rain, shine, sleet, snow, or ice.  Hey I am wondering for some of us non coffee drinks could Adam( ZEN Food fast Restaurant) bring hot chocolate, or even just some hot water and lemon. Either way I will be ready!!

I'm a political animal, can't help it, I'm just drawn 'that' way! As you might've guessed, my frequency of posting is another 'can't help it'. I started my own blog last year February and have posted mainly on political issues. Before the whole Gitmo and Abu Ghraib hullabaloo, I was part of the Bloggers Against Torture who were trying to raise awareness on the human rights abuse systemically approved from the top down courtesy of our war president. Not to mention the erosion and fragrant dismissal of OUR rights as citizens in the name of fighting terrorism.

If you're unaware of any of these political issues you've either just resurfaced from underneath that rock or you just hold your TMZ gossip chronicles more dear and can't wait to find out whether Britney Spears really is or not addicted to drugs.

Anyhow, the Washington melodrama called 'which of these political parties is not like the other' (good for you Elmo, they're practically the SAME!!) is going on full force and the various candidates are trying to endear themselves to their body politic, Democrat or Republican. However, in the name of, put your money where your mouth is, the non-partisan MILITARY SPOUSES FOR CHANGE (http://militaryspousesforchange.com/Home_Page.html) has issued a challenge to ALL Presidential hopefuls;

"As much as individual presidential candidates talk about health care plans or personal values, the fact remains that we are electing a war president. We are electing a president who will probably spend the bulk of his or her first term managing military conflicts and performing extensive foreign policy damage control. In 2008, the next President will inherit at least two wars and the costs of those wars, internally as well as internationally, will continue to grow long after the last service member comes home. Consequently, Military Spouses for Change is inviting the presidential candidates from both parties to Fort Hood, Texas (Killeen), on February 1st, to talk about foreign policy, our military, our veterans, our wounded warriors, and our military families. ... This kind of event has never been done before and it needs to be done now. Not only because Americans on both side of the aisle need to be reminded (before Super Tuesday) that we are electing the next Commander-in-Chief, but also because our service members and their families deserve to be addressed and heard by the people who wish to be elected in that position."

I hope that the Chronicle will send someone out to cover that because I'd be curious to see who'd show up! (send me SEND ME!) Considering my anti-war stance, I feel strongly that the next President should consider the effects this war has had, and I hope to God that not another one is in the works. Well, it is in the works, the rationale and the public's support is probably lagging, hence no 'official excuse' in going out there to bomb. (there? Where? Where daya think! Iran!)

I am currently taking two online grant writing classes through UT informal classes and as I'm delving into all this great information and learning, I am thinking that it's a good thing I have committed myself to running. I need to get out and think. Clear my head or have thoughts converging into one coherent stream. The 'stream' I have been coming to involves support for Iraqi vets. The ones who, led by our dress-up President knowing only about pretend real life, have suffered emotional and physical scars, coming home to their real life of no support or not enough support to ease the transition from combat/military, to civilian life. Let alone being back with their families. I am in the works of setting something up that could offer support where it's needed. Where that will take me is still in 'convergence'. I need to run and walk some more. But as my running training have merged with this training for something more important than myself, I trust that it will become clearer as time progresses. I have already met people with more knowledge and understanding than myself. I suspect, once I put a more specific 'call' out on this blog, I will find a whole lot more people with great knowledge.

For now, I'm taking my class, learn and think and learn and think some more. Check out the Military spouses site and their upcoming forum in February. And another piece of information to check out is Ilona Meagher's book Moving a Nation to Care, post-traumatic stress disorder and America's returning troops.

Here is her blog: PTSD Combat; winning the war within (http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com/2007/11/military-spouses-challenge-presidential.html )

Thanksgiving is over, and Christmas has officially arrived. It came with the delivery of the official Capitol Christmas trees this morning. The trees for inside the state house were received by the House speaker's wife, Nadine Craddick, while Austin Energy engineers were securing the big tree at the junction of 11th and Congress.

Delivered by the horse-drawn Die Gelbe Rose Carriage to the Capitol southern steps, the three Virginia Pines had been driven from the MR and MS Christmas tree ranch in Palestine, Texas, this morning. One will go to the lieutenant governor's reception room, one to the governor's office, and the third will serve as the Angel Tree. Standing outside the Capitol Grill in the underground extension, it will be covered in 230 gift tags. Each represents a "wish list" item from 115 foster children currently in state care. "I want to encourage all state employees to go by and get a gift tag off the tree, purchase your gift, and deliver it to the speaker's office. Then we can make sure that each of these children have a very special Christmas," said Craddick.

The trees won't actually go on display until Tuesday, because they still need dressing and another layer of fire retardant to be sprayed on. "We're very sensitive about fires around here," Secretary of State Phil Wilson noted, referring to the 1983 inferno that engulfed the building.

Holy Gold Rhyton Batman! Err … I mean, Beowulf!

That was the most latently homosexual (and surprisingly sexist) movie I've seen in a while.

Nude battles? Monstrous sons who want to kill their daddies? Warrior pals who remain steadfast friends and companions for years?

Must be Beowulf. I suggest a queer cattle call to a weekend showing of the movie.

Others have commented on the film's (ahem) appeal to gay viewers, and indeed, my boyfriend and I were tittering throughout the entire movie. Lines like, "Many a man have come to drink my lord's mead," along with extended periods of near-nudity took me back – to middle school.

Yet this queer bait has an undeniably sexist underside – the ultimate baddie is a sea-monster-demon-human-killer who is at once seductive and grotesque (thanks Angelina Jolie!), that, and, you know, every other woman in the film is either a wench or a jaded lover.

On another note: I cannot wait for a CGI version of the epic of Gilgamesh to come out sometime in 2010! Gilgamesh and Enkidu (we called him "Stinky Poo" in high school; man were we sophisticated) = the greatest gay warrior couple ever. Appeal to bears (the beards!) and gym bunnies (the bodies) and romantics (the undying love and devotion). Until then, we'll have to wait for straight men and gay men to get their cry on, together.

Cause, you know, Troy didn't deliver!

P.S. Can someone give me a count as to how many times Beowulf says his own name in the movie multiplied by the number of replies which are vocalized as mere grunts? Thanks.