Aggrepost Tuesday

» Chron: Urban trends and an independent vibe (David Kaplan)

Sharpstown Mall, represent!

Half the stores at 46-year-old Sharpstown are now mom-and-pops and many jewelers there sell flashy items made popular by rap artists. Most apparel stores offer urban clothing influenced by street culture, including labels owned by hip-hop icons Russell Simmons, Nelly and Beyoncé.

"Basically, Sharpstown's got everything you need," said a young man who would identify himself only as 33. He was at the mall with his friend Terrence Starks, aka Dat Boy Cuzin, to buy a jeweled grille, a mouthpiece to cover his teeth.

Yeah, a few trips to Sharpstown Mall and you've seen it all. I'm a little peeved since they shut down the dollar movie theater, but the FYE shop still has a few shelves of heavy metal CDs and the used racks are worth scouring over on a regular basis. Of course, I'd hate to be a parent and have to explain what all the sayings on the clothes at the Top Secret store mean to my kid. Hope abounds that the shopping center across Bellaire gets going sooner rather than later ... and that they offer more than another Payless Shoes (three within walking distance already, thank you) and a dozen more places to get my nails done.

» WaPo: Lead or Step Aside, EPA (Govs. Schwarzenegger, Rell)
Two Republican Governors who survived the cutting block in 2006 have something to say ...

California, Connecticut and 10 other states are poised to enact tailpipe emissions standards -- tougher than existing federal requirements -- that would cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars, light trucks and sport-utility vehicles by 392 million metric tons by the year 2020, the equivalent to taking 74 million of today's cars off the road for an entire year. Since transportation accounts for one-third of America's greenhouse gas emissions, enacting these standards would be a huge step forward in our efforts to clean the environment and would show the rest of the world that our nation is serious about fighting global warming.

Yet for the past 16 months, the Environmental Protection Agency has refused to give us permission to do so.

Remember when it used to be conservative to let states be laboratories of democracy? That, of course, went out the window once states tried doing things that didn't fit with the special interests that fuel today's GOP. Of course, Mayor Bill White can certainly relate to this a bit, as well. I wonder if the same people who consider it a privilege to inhale carcinogens think Arnie & Jodi should "back off."

» CBS: Katrina Heroes Honored With Courage Award
Oh yeah ... and speaking of Mayor Bill White .... Just watch the video. I'm sure the "10% Club" will have something derogatory to say about it, but what else would you expect?

» Bloomberg: Lieberman, Sticking With Democrats for Now, Warns Them on Iraq (Laura Litvan)

Lieberman said that while he has experienced "moments of real awkwardness and aloneness,'' he generally relishes his added clout and ability to stake out independent positions: "The first words that come to mind are that I've returned feeling empowered and liberated.''

...

He has already used his leverage to help Republicans thwart efforts by Reid earlier this year to pass a resolution expressing opposition to President George W. Bush's plan to send 21,500 additional U.S. troops into Iraq. He has voted against his former party on every bill and every amendment demanding troop withdrawals this year.

The great tragedy of Lieberman's last four years in the Senate is his failure to use the leverage at his disposal to impact the execution of the war. There's fewer people in this world who could alter that for the better and too many who have sat by silently after making the case during his 2004 campaign for the Presidency. For the record, Bob Kerrey has a saner take on the situation as it stands.

» Miya Shay: Roy Morales Sued!
I wonder why it is that we don't see this story linked on our Republican bloggers' sites? Could it be that they already viewed Morales (correctly) as an incompetent political ladder-climber? Maybe not since there wasn't any kind of concern for him being nominated for Harris County School Trustee last year.

Anywho ... adding to Roy Morales' already spotted record is now that he's a deadbeat. Who knows, maybe this is just what modern-era Republicans are considering "fiscal conservatism." More like "Strength Through Bankruptcy." Note Morales campaign staff: cash those campaign checks fast!!!