Asleep at the Wheel

OK, I don't usually give it up when I find a new spot that has it going on, but in this case, consider yourself notified: Nico's is where its at!

And speaking of "where its at"- let me clue you to the location before we get started.  Nico's is in a nice new strip center on Renner Road, just east of 190 George Bush Tollway. I am guessing five minutes east on 190 from 75 Central Expressway, so it is easy to get to. there are map links on Nico's website.

My dining experience last night was a breath of fresh air for this native Dallasite, who pretty much has his regular Mexican joints lined up and figured out.  Granted there are a lot of great Mexican joints in this town, and I like MANY of them, but Nico's raised the bar in a way I had not imagined- the food was EXCELLENT, service was EXCELLENT, atmosphere was clean, modern, comfortable and casual, and the prices were MODERATE!

Looking over my take-out menu it seems dinner runs from $7.99 to $13.49, with most Tex-Mex dishes $7.99 to $9.99.  Lunches are from $5.99 to $6.49.  Monday's are Enchilada Dinner special at $4.75 ALL DAY and Wednesday is $1.99 Margaritas all day long. they have a Sunday buffet brunch for $12.99 and it looks extensive- see the website.

Four of us dined, and found the menu to be a pleasant change.  I and my best friend opted for the Nico's Specail for $9.99.  It consisted of a sour creme chicken enchilada, a pork tamale, a cheese chili relleno and a crispy beef taco.   the tack was soo full of meat I could not get the salad in it- but ate it with a fork instead.  the chicken enchilada had wonderful shredded (or pulled) chicken that had been properly prepared using red chili, and the sour creme sauce was the best I can remember in years.  the chili relleno was absolutely the best I have ever had- reminiscent of Matt's El Rancho or Mattito's, with pecans and raisins- only BETTER!

My son had an Enchilada Dinner (chicken, cheese or beef offered), which I assume were good as the plate was clean in less time than it took to plate the dish, I am sure.  Sided with rice and beans it was $7.99.

My beautiful wife went with the Tacos de Brisket-three  soft flour tortillas with brisket inside and cotija cheese, served with a tortilla bowl of black beans (refried?), a pile of cilantro, and rice.  $7.99  Honestly, this was our least favorite dish, and I would probably skip it.  These are what I call Mexican street tacos, and somebody in Dallas does them much better. As a matter of fact, the bast I have had were served out of the back of an 80's Nissa Maxima trunk just outside the entrance to Atomic Auto wrecking yard.  To be "authentic" they are usually very greasy, the meat having been simmering in a cast iron skillet just before serving.  Well, enough about what they are not.  We just didn't think they were flavorful enough, and compared to our other dishes, they were pretty weak.

Still, quick service, great chips, great salsa, wonderful food, friendly staff, super clan and comfy, but very casual too.  I really enjoyed the palce and want to see it be successful.  So much so, I am personally asking YOU to go try it.  Like all restaurants, I can see they are hurting for business when they were probably at 30% of capacity last night, yet this place deserves to live.

www.nicoscantina.com  Texasguydfw sez: Check it out!

Some may remember I reviewed Cooppies a while back.  I seem to recall I thought a lot of it was Good to just OK as far as the food goes, but management simply has no clue, as well as the wait staff were poorly trained.

Well, today I found myself in the area after stopping off at Petco to pic up some meds for my dog, and decided breakfast a Cooppies sounded pretty good. Walked in around 11:15 and after being seated was told, without any promting on my part: "We dont serve breakfast after 11:00am".  Hum. Well. Obviously this hostess has seen this problem before.  I replied: OK, well, we came for breakfast..." and was cut off at the pass with "we do serve chicken and waffles all day though" to which I decided to ponder this thought, as having sampled my son's chicken and waffles on another vist prooved it was a fairly good choice.

Now it gets more interesting, as the waitress flipped my menu over staing "we dont serve the lunch plates on the weekend." 
Me: "Well, I wanted the chicken and waffles..."
Her:: "You can still get it, it is just a larger porton."
Me: "I see... let me look this over then"

As I looked it over, I found the chicken and waffles were on the dinner menu- but now it has three sides (not veggies, as it is practically all starches save the steamed broccli and the glazed carrots), starts with salad and a roll and rings up for $10.99!

Well, $11.00 is more than I was wanting to pay for breakfast, but since I was already there... something I am sure the management has keenly calculated by cutting off breakfast at 11:00am!  So, my son and I both ordered the C&W dinner, and me haivng water (no breakfast beverages served after 11:00!) and him a DP, we were off to the races.

The food was basically good.  I would prefer chicken tenders with some crunchy crust instead of the flat beice of lifeless breast meat with soft crust. the cheezy grits are tasty, if not much like the ones in the package you add water to and microwave- but I still love them.  Sweat potato is actually a HALF a sweet potato cut lengthwise- kinda small, but tasty.  Steamed broccli was... well- steamed broccli.  I am suprised they dont offer a melted cheese sauce for this side.  Gravy was good, served in a bowl, which I like, as it saves the crunchy goodness of the chicken fried... oh, thats right- it wasn't crunchy when it arrived.  Well, good try anyway.  then the waffle- cooked to perfection- not too dough, and not hard and crunchy- but just right, with a tasty batter and some hot syrup on the side.

Now the crux of this review is wrapped around the idea of eating breakfast after 11:00am on a Saturday (or Sunday, I presume).  this meal was not really what I had in mind, as I wanted some eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy....  and would have taken a waffle too if I could get it with the other stuff, BUT- NO BREAKFAST AFTER 11:00AM ON WEEKENDS.  So instead, we had the C&W, and the drive out with tip was a few pennies under $30.00.

THIRTY DOLLARS for two people to eat "breakfast".  Insane.

I have this old saying: "You can sheer a sheep many times, but you can only skin him once"

Well, Cooppies has skinned me, and unless they start offering breakfast all day, or at least until 1pm on weekends, and lunch plates every day of the week, I wont be back.  And since I ahve no way of knowing if they will ever do this save them sending me some mail stating this change in policy, then I guess I will never be back.  And that is a shame, as the place has some promise.

Note to management: When we arrived at 11:15ish, there was exactly TWO other tables seated. Other than that, your restaurant was EMPTY.  While we were there, I saw several parties come in and leave after being told "no breakfast".  Wish I had done the same.  I can promise you if you will visit Hubbards at 11:15am any day of the week you can get breakfast, and the place will be FULL, with folks waiting for a table.  If you cant figure out why, you need to find a new line of work.

OK, my last post was obviously too deep for this crowd, as it ran on the front page for more than a day without one response.  For all you DISD graduates, I am going to dumb it down for you.

OK, here is is... There is a test based on US history, civics and economics produced by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.  Many of our elected Federal officials took the test, and their AVERAGE score was 44 percent.  2,500 other random people took the test as well, and their average was 49 percent.  You can read a news report of this story here.

If you want to take the test, go here.

More info about our pathetic knowledge of our own system of government, economics and our history is found here.

The point of all this is- we "know-nothings" have elected a "know-nothing" as president, and many more "know-nothings" fill seats in both the House and Senate. This "know-nothingness" phenomena knows no party, and is grounded in the failings of our public education system.

My own 14 year old 9th grader now knows much more about the world around us, and how it actually works than I do. This is because I pay for actual smart people who are not interested in just social engineering- but rather actual EDUCATION- to teach him, rather than lay him on the alter of public education.

So, in summation, take the test and report back here.  Be honest!

"Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. In the first stage of life the mind is frivolous and easily distracted, it misses progress by failing in consecutiveness and persistence. This is the condition of children and barbarians, in which instinct has learned nothing from experience".

George Santayana, The Life of Reason, Volume 1, 1905
US (Spanish-born) philosopher (1863 - 1952)

It is good to see this quote in its full context.  If one understand it, one will realize the folly of youth, and the folly of change, for only the sake of change.  On this anniversary of his assassination, consider the part about "when experience is not retained..." in light of JFK.  JFK understood economics in relation to the free market- aka: "capitalism".  When JFK was elected, our country was in a deep recession. So what did JFK do?  He CUT taxes!  Soon, the free market was freed up enough to do what it does best, without government constraints, and we launched into a period of great prosperity! 

After JFK, both Republicans and Democrats did some very bad things.  They implemented  policies such as wage and price controls, expanded Federal Government, expanding the Federal Tax code,raised taxes, etc.... The economy suffered double-digit inflation,  coupled with very high interest rates, oil shortages, high unemployment and slow economic growth. Productivity growth in the United States had declined to an average annual rate of 1 percent, compared to 3.2 percent of the 1960s. There was also a growing federal budget deficit which increased to 66 billion dollars. The Federal solution, as expected- higher taxes, and the result: "stagflation".

During President Reagan's tenure, prudent monetary policy gained favor. Income tax rates of the top personal tax bracket dropped from 70% to 28% in 7 years. Real GDP growth recovered strongly after the 1982 recession and grew during Reagan's remaining years in office at an annual rate of 3.4% per year.  Unemployment peaked at over 10.7% percent in 1982 then dropped during the rest of Reagan's terms, and inflation significantly decreased. A net job increase of about 16 million also occurred.

And here is the point: We cant seem to remember what works, and what doesn't. We fail at knowing our own history. Even a recent test of Federal elected officials points out they know little of American History. Go here and read about it.  Then take the quiz yourself, and see for yourself how knowledgeable you are.

I suspect for most Americans, the sad truth is, they are as dumb as a box of rocks. And getting dumber by the day.  I did less well than I expected at only 82%.  How about you?

Mob Attack on Christians in San Francisco
(this story found here)

This mob assault occurred following the passage of Proposition 8 restoring traditional marriage in California. Homosexual activists are deriding the successful ballot measure as “Prop H8? (hate)  — but look at the hatred on display below in what is supposedly America’s most “tolerant” city. This criminal assault is also significant in that gay activists routinely charge Christians and pro-family groups — and most recently Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family — with fomenting “hate violence.” Clearly, “hate violence” and threats committed by vengeful homosexual militants against religious people and churches is on the rise following California’s electoral repudiation of gay marriage on November 4th.  

 

You may watch the video below, and for an eyewitness account of this incident, you may click here. 

Warning:  this video contains offensive language.

Millions asked the next day: "How"?

This quote is from a recent AP report posted today on Yahoo:

Quote:

In al-Qaida's first response to Obama's victory, al-Zawahri also called the president-elect — along with secretaries of state Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice — "house negroes."

Speaking in Arabic, al-Zawahri uses the term "abeed al-beit," which literally translates as "house slaves." But al-Qaida supplied English subtitles of his speech that included the translation as "house negroes."

continuing...

Al-Zawahri did not threaten specific attacks, but warned Obama that he was "facing a Jihadi (holy war) awakening and renaissance which is shaking the pillars of the entire Islamic world; and this is the fact which you and your government and country refuse to recognize and pretend not to see."

He said Obama's victory showed Americans acknowledged that President George W. Bush's policies were a failure and that the result was an "admission of defeat in Iraq."

End quote. (full report here)

And you liberals though all that was needed was to kiss and make up.  Well, you can kiss this muslim swines a$$, but I wont.

Please read the whole article, unless you pantywaist simply dont have the stomach for it.

The following paragraph pretty well sums it up.  But you should dig into the facts as they are presented by reading the full article.

Quote:

MSNBC's Chris Matthews already gave us a preview. As a "journalist," Matthews recently said his "job" is to "make [Obama's presidency] work successfully." Put aside the absurdity that the anti-Bush opinion-giving Matthews calls himself a "journalist," but the same rabid Obama-for-president bias now becomes a cheering section. You have, no doubt, seen and heard stories about Obama facing challenges "more daunting than any president in living memory."

Really?

End quote.

Read the full story here.

Another typical story from the public school system.  This teacher is indoctrinating children, and intimidating- berating even- those who don't agree with her.

Watch the video here.

You know after watching this video, if the teacher had been leaning the other way she would be GONE!

The superintendent of schools said he would "investigate" the matter.  Typical- circle the wagons mentality of the educrats.  The video is all I would need to fire her on the spot!

Do you feel cheated, knowing your ONE vote counted so little in the face of  ACORN's fraudulent voter registrations? Would you like to vote again, and vote often?

Without the fraudulent votes, and the lost military votes, and the fact that so many "uninformed" peoples votes were simply racially based- or based on the freebies they were promised- not based on what is best for the country- this thing might have gone the other way. Not that it would matter much, as you will hopefully see as this concept unfolds before you.

Well, there is still HOPE.  After all, socialism cannot operate in a vacuum.  They need capital, lest they go down the tubes like the USSR.   Also, many of Europe's socialist leaning governments have had to cut entitlements to the bone just to stay afloat. And it can and will happen here too. Which might not be a bad thing!

So how about voting again, and voting often? It is really very simple- vote with your pocketbook!  In the end, everyone is chasing the almighty dollar, so the fastest way to promote CHANGE is to dry up the economy.  Stop spending.  Pull your money out of US company stocks- which removes the capital to drive the US economic engine- and put it into things like GOLD, or foreign stocks.  Sell your government bonds, which also drive up government spending.  Eliminate your personal debt- and start buying only the essentials with CASH.

Believe me, if the conservatives in this country could ever figure out how this simple tool (money) really works, they would rule the day. Otherwise, we are all doomed to be simply the slaves of the plantation owner- Uncle Sam.

I am sick of the lies being told by the democrats, from Obama right on down to the writers of the TV show Boston Legal.  I feel like I am living in Nazi Germany, and  Joseph Goebbels propaganda machine is in full swing, the country is lapping it up like pablum.

The problems with our economy are NOT due to capitalism, or a LACK of controls.  Quite the contrary, the problem is the socialist democrats who IMPOSED controls, forcing capitalist lenders to make bad loans against their better judgment. Had the free market been at work, these bad loans would have never been made, people would not have purchased houses they could not afford, and lenders would not be holding the bag on a bunch of bad loans. This would mean Fannie and Freddie would not be broke, and our economy would be in good shape.

Yet over and over again I hear the bad economy is due to Republicans and their "crazy free market capitalism".  If you believe that line, your as big a fool as the person saying it.  Honestly, I don't think even the democrats believe this lie, it is simply not beneath them to lie in such a manner so as to win an election.

Even Bill Clinton has admitted they were wrong to push these bad loans, and to resist efforts to reign in Fannie and Freddie.  yet it is politics as usual for the dems as they spin this, with the full leverage of their friends in the media, in an effort to steal your vote, and your money.

I say they are simply abunch of cockroaches who will be unable to stand the light of day, whenever that day comes.  Till then, welcome to the Fourth Riech.

Joe Biden pointed out to us on 10/21 that his mother told him we are judged by the company we keep.

Obama’s mentor from age 10-18 in Hawaii was Frank Marshall Davis – a Marxist/Communist (and also a pot smoking sex pervert). Obama cites this relationship in his book along with his guidance as Obama departs to college.

Obama explains in his book how he was drawn to Marxist professors in college.

Obama aligns himself with a pastor who founded a church embracing the Marxist based Black Liberation Theology and stays there for 20 years calling the pastor his mentor.

Obama establishes alliances in Chicago with William Ayers, who in 2002 refers to himself as a dedicated Marxist/Anarchist. (This is about who Ayers IS and was during his alliances with Obama and not who he was back in the 60s/70s as Obama would like it to be)

In October 2008 Obama slips up and lets his true philosophy out – spreading the wealth around.

As Joe Biden said in the same stump speech where he referred to his mother’s sage advice about the company you keep: “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck …..”

Marxism – the wrong prescription for America.

Warning- reading this article this will likely make you want to throw up!

Want your kid to learning about "fisting" in your taxpayer funded public schools.. from a couple of homosexuals who will gladly demonstrate the proper technique?

Well guess what?  The fund raising co-chair of Obama's campaign is Kevin Jennings.  Jennings is the founder of GLSEN -- the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. And it is GLSEN that is doing just what was described in Massachusetts schools!  And if Obama and his buddy have their way, this, and much more will be in your childs school too!

Read more here.

This election will decide which way our country goes in regard to our collective moral values. 

What are your values? 

Where do your moral values come from?

"CHANGE"... CHICAGO STYLE !
 
Chicago is worse than a combat zone. 
 
In the last six months 292 killed (murdered) in Chicago (read this one too...)
 
In the last six months 221 killed in Iraq.
 
 
The leadership in Illinois.....all of them Democrats: 
 
Sens. Barack Obama & Dick Durbin,
 
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.,
 
Gov. Rod Blogojevich,
 
House leader Mike Madigan,
 
Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike),
 
Mayor Richard M. Daley (son of former Mayor Richard J. Daley).....
 
State pension fund $44 Billion in debt, worst in the country.

Cook County (Chicago) sales tax 10.25% highest in country.  Folks are revolting! 

Chicago public school system one of the worst in country.  And if that is not enough, these "progressives" are considering pandering to the gay/lesbian/transgender bunch by giving them their own school!
 
This is what Obama and his fellow Democrats created in Illinois.
 
So now he is gonna 'fix' Washington, your state and your community?
 
So do you want your community "changed" to be like Chicago?
 
Can't blame Republicans, there aren't any in Chicago!