Sorry, I forgot to press PUBLISH on Friday.
BTHO SC – Friday, August 15, 2014
I am counting down the days. It is only a few more days until the Aggies travel to South Carolina. But Spurriering along – what is the difference between a Game Cock and chicken? Perhaps I will conduct a research study to differentiate between the two types of fowl before game time. Here are a couple of pictures from Thursday’s mini Yell Practice.
Happy Weekend and Gig ‘Em Aggies.
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Thursday, August 14, 2014
It is a big day for Whooping and hollering. Those sounds your hear in the South will be the schools of the SEC Network going live and saying hello. The network actually goes live at 5:00 CST today. But each of the schools was asked to give a grand hello. The Fighting Texas Aggies will be recorded at 12:45 at the Ring Plaza. There will be a special Yell Practice. Need you ask? Of course I am going. Then from 4 – 6 is the free beer at Aggieland Outfitters. Not much happens here, aside from your usual robberies, assaults, and drug busts, so this is big in BCS. And we all know that college football in the South is like church. I am excited about the SEC network except for one thing. Of all the people who know and understand sports, especially college sports, why in the hell does the SEC have Brent Musburger? I doubt Musberger has ever worn a jock strap. He is the best you can do? So now he can oogle and comment on all of the girls in the stadium and not just Alabama ones? Oh well, there is a MUTE button on the remote. And when I pick up my remote this evening and turn it to 702 there better be some SEC stuff going on or you know what? I will go down there and kick somebody’s ass.
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Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Every Christmas my nephew in law gets a CD of Lee Roy Mercer. He is a comedian who is always dissatisfied with a service, and makes prank calls to the business and proceeds to threaten to come down and whip somebody’s ass. We listen to this while opening presents Christmas morning. Granted it is a strange Christmas tradition, but I have grown to like the guy and his style of humor. This morning would have been a perfect morning and my conversation, ala Lee Roy Mercer, would have gone like this (with all due respect and non-violation of any infringement stuff):
Briarcrest Country Club (BCC): Hello, Briarcrest Golf Shop.
Me: Is this the Briarcrest Golf shop?
BCC: Yes.
Me: I want to talk to the person in charge.
BCC: I am in charge. How can I help you?
Me: I am fixing to come down there and whip your ass. I am not a happy golfer.
BCC: What’s wrong?
Me: I joined last month, which was a nightmare to do, and now I cannot get a tee time online and I am gonna come down there and whip somebody’s ass and find out why not.
BCC: Well, our accountant is learning the new software and she is having to reenter…
Me: Well, I will whip her ass too. Is she a big girl? How big are you? You one of them fat John Daley kinda golfers or one those skinny Rory Mcilroy types? I bet I can whip both your asses. How fast a runner are you?
BCC: We are switching accounting software programs and upgrading the system to…
Me: I don’t want to play golf with accounting software and the system is broken; I want to get a tee time and I want to play golf on your golf course and I am having trouble doing it. Now are you gonna fix it or am I going have to come down there and whip your ass? I will give you a Big Bertha Driver ass whipping, you hear?
BCC: I see. Well, this new software…
Me: Once again, I do not care about the accountant or software. I just want it fixed and I don’t want to have to come over there to get a tee time. I want it fixed or I am gonna come down there, over to your clubhouse and whip your ass. You ever had a box of Titleist Whip Ass thrown at you?
BCC: No ma’am.
Me: Well I can come down there and throw one on you. Now are you getta this fixed or am I gonna have to get in my car and come down there and whip your ass with a putter?
BCC: What time would you like to play tomorrow?
Me: 8:00 AM
BCC: That time is yours.
Me: Thank you for the bag of tees. Good bye now. If you are here tomorrow at 8:00 am I am gonna whip your ass before I tee off.
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Tuesday, August 12, 2014
This morning I ordered Dr. R. Bowen Loftin’s book – The 100 Year Decision. It will be one of 1000 with a signed card enclosed. Of course I have to pay shipping and handling when I could just pick it up just down Highway 6 on Highway 60 (AKA University) at Aggieland Outfitters. Of course, I could ask my dear friend in Navasota, TPM, to ask Bowen to sign it for me. Bet you did not know that Dr. Loftin, former President of Texas A&M University was from Navasota, Texas, did you? Put that in your Factoid of the Day. His family actually lived next door to the P’s. Captain Hairspray was her brother’s roommate when Fish at Texas A&M, but she usually doesn’t tell people that factoid. But back to Dr. Loftin’s book – A statement from his co-author:
“To begin with, most college football fans probably have no clue that [Loftin] may be the reason why the landscape of the game, in terms of conferences and affiliations, shook out the way it did. Thankfully, he doesn’t hold back with his firsthand account of how University of Texas officials not only took both he and A&M for granted, but essentially tried to strong-arm its rival into something that wasn’t in the school’s best interest.”
As I was saying, I wish I could pick it up at Aggieland Outfitters when it released on September 20. Speaking of Aggieland Outfitters, Thursday, August 14 the SEC Network goes live and there is a tailgate party at Aggieland Outfitters. The first 300 people get a Limited Edition Koozie. And then, most important of all – FREE BEER to fill the koozie! What time can I expect your arrivals? The party is from 4 – 6. Wonder what time I must get in line. I love the fact the SEC Network kick off has free beer or even paid for beer. I also ordered my season women’s Aggie basketball tickets today. So fall and winter are shaping up quite nicely.
Rest in Peace, Robin Williams. The demons took another great one.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Yesterday I went to a sports memorabilia show in Humble, Texas. I know, I am supposed to be getting rid of this crap and not trying to purchase more. And I am not even sure why I received a notice and clicked on the link about the show. Let’s call it Divine Cyberintervention. But two items caught my attention in the program and I asked if Niece # 1 wanted to go check it out. So off we went to her old stomping grounds. Mission number One was to see if I could get a Letter of Authenticity (LOA) on an item I purchased for $20 at an Austin “Antique” store. Side Bar: – it is that fire hazard place on Burnet Road near the Monkey’s Nest Coffee Place. I purchased a framed 8 x 10 photograph of Tom Kite and Ben Hogan – Signed by both golfers. Let’s just say the photograph was analyzed and will receive a LOA and the guy said, you will get a letter in two weeks, but the signatures are authentic.” But that was only Mission Number One.
Mission Number Two began in 2008 with a hope and plan. It went down like this. I was the first person in line to obtain an autograph from former Heisman Trophy Winner and first Houston Oiler drafted – Billy Cannon. But I had something different for him to sign. When I pulled the T-shirt from my bag and laid it out in front him, 
he said, “Oh my goodness – what a great team that was. Where did you get this?” I replied, “I bought it for $12.00 at Geaudshaw’s (forgive the spelling) in Plaquemine, Louisiana in 2008 for the 50th anniversary of the national championship in hopes you would sign it one day. I pointed to #34, and said “Donnie Daye is my first cousin.” He said, “Really?” I said, “I did not know there were other football teams besides LSU and the teams they played until I was 10 years old. You and Donnie are the reasons I love college football.” He signed his picture (#20) on my T-Shirt
and then asked, “How is Donnie’s cancer? I keep up with him through the alumni news.” I said, “He is doing pretty good. It is tough, but he’s a tough fighter.” Dr. Cannon replied, “Yes, he is.” Then I said, “I bet he could still throw the block for you on Halloween against Ole Miss to spring you down the sideline.” There is no way I can describe the look that went through his eyes when he recalled that moment. It was as though he ran it again. He smiled and we shook hands and I thanked him and left.
I also bought a Rookie Johnny Manziel card for $10. It was not signed, but I figure I’ll catch him at Northgate one night. You know how we like to party.
Friday, August 08, 2014
“Effective at noon tomorrow, I will resign the Presidency of the United States of America.” Calm down Sarah Palin, I am referring to Richard Mihouse Nixon and the 40th anniversary of his resignation as President of the United States. While it is all Watergate under the bridge, it still fun to recall the names. In May 1973 we watched the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, headed by the Senator from North Carolina, Sam Ervin and his eyebrows. During the hearing the White House lawyer, John Dean said former Attorney General John Mitchell did it and WH advisers John Eherlichman and H. R. Haldeman knew about it too. Yep, even Nixon knew about it. Meanwhile, Watergate prosecutor Archibald (who really names their child Archibald?) Cox uncovered widespread evidence of illegal wiretapping of thousands of private citizens by the administration and contributions to the Republican Party in return for political favors. And just think, he did all of this discovering without benefit of a computer and social media. Hey, Nixon if you are reading this from Hell, “Did you think another round of Checkers and Pat’s good Republican cloth coat could save you again?” By the end of July 1974, the House Judiciary Committee had adopted three articles of impeachment against President Nixon: obstruction of justice, abuse of presidential powers and hindrance of the impeachment process. That last article concerned the infamous tapes and the 18 minutes that were missing. At that point Nixon was busted like ho at a cheap motel on Saturday night. At no point was a cigar involved or mentioned in the indictment. Well, we certainly did not have Tricky Dick “to kick around anymore” after that.
Here is a bit of alternative history. Alternative history is where one plays “what if” an event actually took place that changed history. When Nixon received the Republican nomination in 1968, his main party opponent was the governor of Michigan George Romney. What if George Romney had won the nomination? Maybe Mitt would be in White House today.
Nixon appealed to what he later called the “silent majority” of “socially conservative Americans” who disliked hippies and the anti-war demonstrators. I am not certain if that means they were pro-war. Here’s What I’m Thinking – as his campaign button prophetically stated – Nixon’s the One. He is the One who started it all. Nixon – Making Republicans Proud Even Today!
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Position Paper # 1 – A Call for Systemic Change in the Public Educational Institution in the United States
The following paper is presented at the Here’s What I’m Thinking impromptu Thursday conference called The Educational Institution – Mediocrity at its Best.
Since a Nation At Risk was published when books were made from paper, we have watch changes occur in the educational institution of America. Most of it is not good making teaching a pretty risky business. It is a wonder instruction is even considered as an element of the school day, which by the way is 24/7. Administrators, teachers and staff must shelter, protect, feed and test students, who do not have English as a third or fourth language, let alone as a second, while not violating any of anyone’s civil and/or constitutional rights or religious beliefs. A former Texas Commissioner of Education used to say “The students are not negotiable.” Neither is this requirement. “The wearing of pants is not negotiable.” It seems an Oklahoma high school teacher was arrested on her first day on the job allegedly appearing at school drunk and without wearing pants. The said teacher was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication when teachers said they walked into a classroom to find her intoxicated and partially dressed, though no students were present. Therefore it is the position of this author that pants must be worn while in a public school setting. Contact your legislative representative encouraging him or her to pass legislation requiring pants in the classroom. For those of you in the TEA Party and on the SBOE, this translates into a statue that reads like this – “Thou shall not run nekked in the schools, unless Jesus did it.”
But wait, there’s more! The teacher was allowed to keep her job with a one-week suspension. Fire that person! Is the educational institution so hard up that it must keep extremely overweight, intoxicated, san pants teachers in the system? Now that mediocrity at its finest.
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August 6, 2014 – What date is this the anniversary of?
What irony that today, August 6, I am going to talk about rockets,but first sing along with the great Tom Leherer, from 1966, regarding the original rocket man, long before Elton John, Dr. Wernher von Braun.
“And what is it that put America in the forefront of the nuclear nations? And what is it that will make it possible to spend 20 billion dollars of your money to put some clown on the moon? Well, it is good old American know-how, that’s what. As provided by good old Americans like Dr. Wernher von Braun.
Gather round while I sing you of Wernher von Braun,
A man whose allegiance
Is ruled by expedience.
Call him a Nazi, he won’t even frown.
“Ha, nazi schmazi,” says Wernher von Braun.
Don’t say that he’s hypocritical,
Say rather that he’s apolitical.
“Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That’s not my department,” says Wernher von Braun.
Some have harsh words for this man of renown,
But some think our attitude
Should be one of gratitude,
Like the widows and cripples in old London town
Who owe their large pensions to Wernher von Braun.
You too may be a big hero,
Once you’ve learned to count backwards to zero.
“in German or English I know how to count down,
Und I’m learning Chinese,” says Wernher von Braun”
How about learning to count backwards in Spanish, Dr. von Braun? I see where Texas is getting another rocket launching site. Captain Hairspray’s office contributed $2.4 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund (once known as funding source for DrD’s salary.) The state of Texas chipped in $15.3 million and the City of Brownsville contributed $5 million. The company SpaceX selected Brownsville as their location for rocket launching. The specific location, as stated in the press release, is Boca China Beach, “a short walk from the Gulf of Mexico and just a couple miles north of the US/Mexico border.” I thought the short walk to get north of the US/Mexico border was the problem. But the SpaceX company plans to launch their first rockets in 2016. Plans call for twelve launches per year.” Here’s what I’m thinking…. Captain Hairspray is going to solve the immigration crisis by launching the illegal aliens into space.” Today, August 6, marks the 59th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
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Tuesday, August 5, 2014
I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it
I’m about to lose control and I think I like it
I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it
And I know, I know, I know, I know,
Sung by whom?
God’s in His Heaven and all it right with the world.It was announced over the weekend that my carrier will carry the SEC network.Let me hear you say a big Gig ‘Em Aggies. I mean, Hallelujah! On Thursday, August 28 from Columbia, SC, the Fightin’ Texas Aggies and the South Carolina Gamecocks will christen the Southeast Conference Network at 6:00 Eastern Standard Time. That is 5:00 here in the beautiful Brazos Valley. And all of my television sets will be tuned to it. Yes, I do stand for much of the game, but I like to pace around like the coaches do. Now I can walk from room to room and not miss a moment. I must be careful when viewing from the screened in porch. There are neighbors close by within ear shot who may not understand a woman screaming a stream of profanities from her back yard. All cussing must be done indoors or in unison at local bars. So the countdown begins. I’m so excited. Sung by The Pointer Sisters.
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August 4, 2014
Floating down a lazy river on a just right summer day is about as close to heaven as there is in the present. For a moment you are suspended in time as you are gently carried down the river. It is truly an experience everyone, and especially every Texan, should have before they die. I am glad I have been tubing many times and I look forward to many more. It is truly one of the great equalizers of society. Everyone looks the same with your butt in an inner tube and your legs hanging over the sides as though you are about to receive a pelvic examination. UGLY! Now this is before water ugly. The Griswalds put in at The Rocking River ready for a three hour float with the exit at the dock of the place where we were staying. It is very expensive to get in the water. Granted your wristband is good for all day getting in the water, but tube rentals are expensive especially when there are many people. But just standing in line to get a tube is ugly. We are talking like God has whipped up a big plague of super ugly and it has covered Gruene. I mean there are some bodies, mine included, are just not supposed to reveal that much skin to family, let alone people you do not know and especially those with a smart phone. But once in the water you are just a floater and nobody cares.Laid back in your tube and letting the water carry you downstream. I am happy to say the Griswalds all arrived home safely. I did not have to ride on the roof. Not this time. And it was truly one of those summer weekends to remember for years to come.
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For Us
Howdy! We're the largest independent bookstore in Texas. This is our blog.
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
What do you feel today?
Tales of humour, whimsy and courgettes
What if you spent every day looking for One Beautiful Thing?
Inspiration for meeting life's challenges.
Excerpts from the many random ramblings inside my head.
"We make bitter better."
Some Memories... Some Experiences...
"A Word of Substance"
The official website of author Nicholas Conley
Daily Thoughts and Meditations as we journey together with our Lord.
A fine WordPress.com site
Enjoy the Majestic Landscapes of the Lone Star State
Short paragraphs about whatever I am thinking; college football, Texas, politics, education and life in general.
Information for residents snowbirds, tourists .on. festivals.events things to do parks.places new ideas for improving Palm Beach County, History
For Us
Howdy! We're the largest independent bookstore in Texas. This is our blog.
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
What do you feel today?
Tales of humour, whimsy and courgettes
What if you spent every day looking for One Beautiful Thing?
Inspiration for meeting life's challenges.
Excerpts from the many random ramblings inside my head.
"We make bitter better."
Some Memories... Some Experiences...
"A Word of Substance"
The official website of author Nicholas Conley
Daily Thoughts and Meditations as we journey together with our Lord.
A fine WordPress.com site
Enjoy the Majestic Landscapes of the Lone Star State
Short paragraphs about whatever I am thinking; college football, Texas, politics, education and life in general.
Information for residents snowbirds, tourists .on. festivals.events things to do parks.places new ideas for improving Palm Beach County, History
For Us
Howdy! We're the largest independent bookstore in Texas. This is our blog.
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
What do you feel today?
Tales of humour, whimsy and courgettes
What if you spent every day looking for One Beautiful Thing?
Inspiration for meeting life's challenges.
Excerpts from the many random ramblings inside my head.
"We make bitter better."
Some Memories... Some Experiences...
"A Word of Substance"
The official website of author Nicholas Conley
Daily Thoughts and Meditations as we journey together with our Lord.
A fine WordPress.com site
Enjoy the Majestic Landscapes of the Lone Star State
Short paragraphs about whatever I am thinking; college football, Texas, politics, education and life in general.
Information for residents snowbirds, tourists .on. festivals.events things to do parks.places new ideas for improving Palm Beach County, History
Here's What I'm Thinking 