Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up W/ Picture Of Texas State Plant

Here is the most recent weekly round-up the Texas Progressive Alliance. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas.

With the round-up this week, I’ve included a picture of the Prickly Pear Cactus. This is the State Plant of Texas.

I’ve lived in texas for over 11 years and I am not aware that I’ve seen our state plant. There are not many cacti here in the Houston-area.

The Prickly Pear is apparently a useful thing.  This article from Wilderness Way magazine details many uses.

For example, they are good for food and can be used as a kind of natural fencing.

Here is a web article from Desert USA with many Prickly Pear facts.

Reading up on this cactus as I make this post, it seems that the Prickly Pear is known and used by many people.

Maybe someday I will see our Texas State plant in my travels. I guess I’ll have to head west or south from Houston.

Or, maybe these plants will be doused with radiation from falling space debris, and become mobile predators of human beings.

The round-up–

This week on Left of College Station: the filling deadline has ended and the primaries in the Brazos Valley are crowded with candidates. Also take a look at who tweets among the primary candidates for Texas Congressional District 17 and which does not want Left of College Station to follow their tweets. Teddy also posts about themodern day slavery of human trafficking, and how Houston has become one of the biggest hubs for the modern day slave trade. L o C S also covers the week in headlines.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the Texas GOP’s inability to govern and the opportunities that provides for Democrats: GOP divisions can bring Democratic gains in Texas.

The Denton County candidates are ready to go at the Texas Cloverleaf.

How does Texas compare with other states? A statistical analysis with graphs reveals the truth at Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

Off the Kuff has a modest suggestion for how to handle Harris County’s current budget shortfall.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme agrees it’s time to put our money in community banks.