http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/
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ON A COOL DAY, A REASON WHY WE LOVE SOUTH TEXAS
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgV9jfrC_EECQqTVymwSGcdv2WIxfZD_aunF-PoZuSqzitcxfBnSCWOMo-ZiRHdieJszfyqSrPmL5x2vrbwt1-9iwdK_mjn-zWwqFeet8jwr7RDGkD5jB2ulXUNMeYVpI3RUTM0zhHpVP/s1600/sunsetwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgV9jfrC_EECQqTVymwSGcdv2WIxfZD_aunF-PoZuSqzitcxfBnSCWOMo-ZiRHdieJszfyqSrPmL5x2vrbwt1-9iwdK_mjn-zWwqFeet8jwr7RDGkD5jB2ulXUNMeYVpI3RUTM0zhHpVP/s640/sunsetwater.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />This sunset scene was taken from Central Boulevard looking toward the resaca on the Valley International County Club.<br />For many of us who grew up near that area, these scenes were a daily occurrence, especially in the late fall and early winter. Click on the picture for a full-screen view.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-2822044335885088550?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2011/12/on-cool-day-reason-why-we-love-south.html
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IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS INTO OUR FUTURE DARKLY
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By<b> Juan Montoya</b><br /> There were many of us in a holding cell awaiting our transfer from the Old County Jail (the Judicial building) to our respective centers.<br />Some were bound across Harrison Street at the Ruben Torres Correctional Center. But most were to be transported to the Rucker-Carrizales Center in Olmito. One, a born-again Christian, bore the brunt of scorn from a hardened inmate barely 19 who taunted him for giving testimony to his salvation in the cell saying that most conversions he had seen in jail didn't last past the jail house doors.<br />"Tell me the truth," the contentious youth (third charge of aggravated assault) said to the older inmate,"Did you ever read the Bible when you were on the outside?"<br />Unwilling to anger the orange-clad giant standing defiantly in the middle of the cell, the other inmate merely looked away and shook his head.<br />The tension in the cell was palpable. Then, to everyone's relief, guards took away the scornful inmate to court. He had been waiting there for three hours and expected to be sent to "State," any one of several Texas State Correction units across the state. He had made it a point to engage everyone in conversation and then managed to make them feel as if they were less "bad" than himself.<br />"<i>Voy a agarrar numero</i>," he had boasted, using jail slang for getting a system number that he would carry for the rest of his natural life. Once one has a number, it is a sign among longtime inmates and recidivists that you have arrived, that you are one of the prison society. He was actually looking forward to being sent upstate and making his bones with the bad boys.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmgdlQH-sI0_jdhFRkZAU8a4SwitBap9mYlE5ZVZebWOvbodvqixMZos2YdzxJ8-VQNQ4REj7mwWk4Q1_EdsA9-BmIkJnaMSZHFq6BCT3JOgiluABa_cRu0xlPTVp1P5lPHqkvlmk3Z0w/s1600/tatoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmgdlQH-sI0_jdhFRkZAU8a4SwitBap9mYlE5ZVZebWOvbodvqixMZos2YdzxJ8-VQNQ4REj7mwWk4Q1_EdsA9-BmIkJnaMSZHFq6BCT3JOgiluABa_cRu0xlPTVp1P5lPHqkvlmk3Z0w/s200/tatoo.jpg" width="138" /></a>Once he was gone, the entire group was moved to an inner holding cell, a solid concrete bunker with a high ceiling and one door with a small window that could only be opened by someone from the outside. It was cold everywhere, but here more so because there was no circulation of air, only the AC vent near the ceiling. <br />By now there were only four of us, the born-again, myself and two young-looking inmates standing 5"1" or 5'2' at the most with the tips of tattoos peeking out from under their collars. Both of the young inmates arms were covered with them.<br />Both had gone to court and were awaiting transport to Carrizales. They immediately became intrigued with each others "ink" and started talking. They both had belonged to gangs in their respective cities, one in <i>Browntown</i> and another in <i>Harlinchon</i>. Both had smoked marijuana <i>"toques"</i> since they were preteens. Both smoked <i>"la piedra</i>," or<i> "conchona"</i> â€" crack cocaine.<br />"<i>Yo consozco a todos las piedreras, homey</i>," the young tough from Brownsville boasted. <i>"Toda la Marketa, a la Millie, la Mary y la Paloma. Puro tranze, Bra."</i><br />The other mentioned names that only someone growing up in Harlingen would know. Since the Brownsville inmate was going to be let out for time served, the Harlingen youth was telling him who to look up in his hometown when he got out.<br />Then both â€" wearing handcuffs chained around their waist and foot shackles â€" took turns admiring the craftsmanship of their tattoos. The Brownsville youth had a dragon that stretched from his inside arm under his left shoulder and snaking its way to the lower part of his rib cage on his lower right side.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-W8Sdi76aU6FRG7Nwl5k7zCisDoSy8uJlUO92D0YO161lza2ohCYF5vDHqTV4SLVKkkmHFYV2mVZuMiNBkJR9lxGLnqWzY_v9t4P5LE3ACc4GtB6FLzCmg315tBkFF01Ng5AJbUyEyNIF/s1600/M_EME_INK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-W8Sdi76aU6FRG7Nwl5k7zCisDoSy8uJlUO92D0YO161lza2ohCYF5vDHqTV4SLVKkkmHFYV2mVZuMiNBkJR9lxGLnqWzY_v9t4P5LE3ACc4GtB6FLzCmg315tBkFF01Ng5AJbUyEyNIF/s400/M_EME_INK.jpg" width="400" /></a>Then the Harlingen inmate who was sentenced to three years for armed robbery â€" at the state rate of three days for one, a year â€" told the Brownsville inmate to pull down his collar from behind to show a fully-inked torso and back with a detailed orgy between a half dozen scantly-clothed females in front and a scene from heaven featuring the Virgin of Guadalupe as its centerpiece. That trumped the Brownsville inmates lame dragon. But the victor wasn't done.<br />"<i>Wacha</i>, homey," he said and flexed his pectorals and abdomen. The women in the picture started to move and appeared to be engaged in a sexual free-for-all.<br />"<i>Ta bulle</i>, <i>homey</i>," the other inmate said admiringly. "Next time I get inside I'm going to get one. You did that with one point?"<br /> Prison reformers say that rehabilitation is possible within our nation's correctional institutions. But if what we see in Cameron County's jails are only a microcosm of what awaits our society and our coming generations, it is indeed a dark future that awaits us.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-5889021357774632062?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2011/12/innthe-belly-of-beast-through-looking.html
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THE FIREFIGHT HAS STARTED IN THE CAMERON COUNTY DA'S RACE
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By <strong>Juan Montoya</strong><br />It's not even 2012 yet and the period to declare a candidacy for the various contested posts has been extended to February, but that hasn't stopped the early birds from going after the proverbial worm. In this case, the targets appear to be the candidates for Cameron County District Attorney.<br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTitN20s3FZO-Q-YuqB9KTTgBdcjMPKNJDzyxSqNj88bzwwaSbUKlaHRHZYzqOr80JzyuUwpzkCDm0j7O0g0W9I1J3_qWi39IrrugsfavHzzdLh1Jd92YN_M3TZCHz00LOY_atrFebbjZm/s1600/firefight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTitN20s3FZO-Q-YuqB9KTTgBdcjMPKNJDzyxSqNj88bzwwaSbUKlaHRHZYzqOr80JzyuUwpzkCDm0j7O0g0W9I1J3_qWi39IrrugsfavHzzdLh1Jd92YN_M3TZCHz00LOY_atrFebbjZm/s320/firefight.jpg" width="320" /></a>Whether it's commenters to blogs reminding us of the troubled regime of Luis Saenz, the alleged ties of Carlos Masso to 8-line (maquinita) operators, or Maria De Ford's remaining in the DA's office after she declared her candidacy months ago, the trickle of disclosures will probably increase to a torrent in the days to come.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The candidacy of Masso has drawn the first fire. We are in receipt of a manila folder chock full of information that indicates Masso is either related to, or has received contributions from owners/operators of 8-liner establishments in Brownsville and Olmito. Further, newspaper clippings included in the packet indicate that the same owner-operator (his nephew Rick Masso) has been the object of attention of local law enforcement for operating these type of businesses.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Masso has denied any knowledge of his relatives' involvement in these enterprises and to be perfectly fair, the mere operation of these proliferating businesses is not illegal. It is the payment of cash prizes that is prohibited.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A newspaper clipping dated Dec. 23, 2007 from the <em>Brownsville Herald</em> indicates that in Sept. 2004, "convicted felon Ricardo Masso, 25, was arrested for connections to the 777 Arcade at 7077 N. Expressway 77. His wife, Esther Francisca Murua, 30, also was arrested."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The newspaper article identifies the younger Masso as the nephew of Carlos Masso, the now-DA candidate and commissioner with the Brownsville Navigation District. Candidate MAsso "contends," the article continues, "that he is not familiar with his relatives' arcade operations."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A Cameron County Sheriff's Dept. case report dated less than a month ago on Dec. 12 indicates that one Ricardo Masso (identified by the packet preparers as Masso's brother) reported to an investigating deputy that he was the owner of the 36 arcade game consoles stolen from the 777 Arcade at 6656 FM 1732 in Olmito, Tex., where the renter, one Maria Silva Garza, had reported a break-in. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now, the Cameron County Appraisal District identifies ER Vending as the owner of the property at 6656 FM 1732 and another arcade at 5575 FM 802. The proprietors of ER Vending in the DBA (doing business as) documents at the Cameron County Clerks office are listed as Ester Murua and Ricardo Masso (Rick?).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">To make matters worse, in the last reporting period for candidates' financial reports from Feb. 1 to July 15, there is one contributor of $1,500 to Masso's campaign listed as Rick Masso with an address at 3254 Boca Chica.</div>The overriding questions the preparers of the packet ask is how the same business owners that were arrested in connection with the 8-liner businesses continue to operate seven year later and whether Masso is a recipient of political contributions from these businesses.<br />These same questions will no doubt be raised to a greater detail as the campaign for the Democratic primary gathers steam. We just wonder what the other campaigns have found in their search for skeletons in their opponents closets.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-7060976627657544186?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2011/12/firefight-has-started-in-cameron-county.html
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