Category Archives: Education

Saturday, November 19, 2016 – Those Hippies on a Bicycle – The Ruin of All Social Order

Posted on November 19, 2016 | 1 comment

Saturday, November 19, 2016 – Those Hippies on a Bicycle – The Ruin of All Social Order

I just finished this book. It is a light history filled with how the two-wheeler changed and influenced the world. Below is one of my favorite passages.

Margaret Guroff – The Mechanical Horse – How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life, pgs. 121-122.

By the 1960’s, the specter of the slick-haired, leather-jacketed juvenile delinquent had been replaced by a fearsome new teenage minority: the hippie, whose hallucinogens, campus activities, psychedelic music and improvisational hygiene threated to destroy the social order. Critics blamed the generation’s wildness on parental overindulgence – such as handing out bikes to our children without requiring work in exchange “We have given our children a free ride since the day they were born, and now we can’t understand why they demand so much,” opined the California philanthropist Mrs. George Buccola in 1967. “We gave them that bicycle.”

Photo by Gniece #3 – Blair. Taken in front of my house. I am screaming “How do I stop?” But, you really don’t forget how to ride.

Happy Saturday and BTHO UTSA!

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Posted in Education, humor, Misc., Native Texan

Tagged The Mechanical Horse

Thursday, November 16, 2016 – Jonathan Swift , Ignatius J. Reilly and Me

Posted on November 17, 2016 | 2 comments

Thursday, November 16, 2016 – Jonathan Swift , Ignatius J. Reilly and Me

Thank you to my government employee friends and the literary people especially us liberal arts folks – especially Brit Lit and Grit Lit majors. You recognized yesterday’s quote from Swift’s Thoughts on Various Subjects written about the British monarch George I and published around 1726.

And yes, regardless of political leanings it is said with every transitional period of government and has since the 18th century when Swift wrote about the rise of Parliament and decline of the monarchy when the sun never sat on the British Empire.

Speaking of centuries, here is another great quote from John Kennedy Toole’s outstanding, laugh out loud and well deserved Pulitzer Prize winning book about Nawlins, Louisiana – From A Confederacy of Dunces:

“I am at the moment writing a lengthy indictment against our century. When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip.” Ignatius J. Reilly.

So me!

Here’s to the beginning of The Silly Season – the filing of bills in the Texas Legislature. Photo by me.

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Posted in Education, humor, Misc., Native Texan, Politics

Tagged a confederacy of dunces, John Kennedy Toole, Jonathan Swift, Texas Legislature

Wednesday, November 16, 2016 – Job Vacancies – Now Hiring!

Posted on November 16, 2016 | 3 comments

Wednesday, November 16, 2016 – Job Vacancies – Now Hiring!

Employer: President Elect Donald Trump and the Trumpets Transitional Team

Galveston – 2011 – Photo by me.

Number of vacancies: Approximately 4000 positions available from clerical staff to upper management levels.

Job Location: West Wing, White House, Washington D. C.

Education Requirements: None required beyond high school or GED

Work Experience: None required

Pay Grade: Entry level

Note: Not an equal opportunity employer. People of color, alternate life styles, and other religions and beliefs besides evangelicals need not apply.

“When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him.” Jonathan Swift

Austin graffiti wall – 2013 – Photo by me.

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Posted in Education, humor, Misc., Native Texan, Politics

Tagged Donald Trump, Trump transition team

Monday, November 14, 2016 – My Monday After Saturday College Football Awards

Posted on November 14, 2016 | 1 comment

Monday, November 14, 2016 – My Monday After Saturday College Football Awards

Ship wreck 4

GLOOM! DISPAIR! And AGONY!

Just when we thought it was safe to go back into the water, the rankings in college football were shuffled like a cheap deck of bicycle playing cards.

Please note: No Poopy Undies Awards will be given today. At this point we are just going to go with the Oh Crap! Awards and every team, coach and fan receives one.

The first Oh Crap Award goes to every team that has played Alabama for the last four years as The Tide Rolls. Note: to Bama Fans – I only went back to Coach Sabin and did not count The Bear or G. Stallings or any of those the school claims and are recognized before playoffs when you were #1. Just so many. To The Crimson Tide – Congratulations for securing the SEC West. Roll Tide.

Other awards for teams are as follows. Let’s start with the Small (and getting smaller) 12 Conference teams.

First, to Baylor and Seth Russell here is a sincere heal soon wish. The BU QB gets the Joe Theisman Award for sustaining a stomach turning leg/ankle injury. You know it is bad when players from both sides jump up from the tackle pile screaming for help. But you really know it is bad when TV will not show the replay and the announcers are about to throw up.

In addition Baylor lost the game to OU 24 to 45. BU wins the Kiss Your Good Bowl Game Goodbye Award. Baker Mayfield is only a junior?

THE University of Texas wins the award for Not Quite Heaven, West Virginia for coming up short 24-20. The Exploding Head Coach Award goes the West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen and the referee who refused to grant his time out request.

The Tortilla TECH kicker wins the What’s the Point Award? For missing the point after try and allowing the Oklahoma State Cowboys to escape with a one point victory – 44-45. Bedlam should be most interesting – especially since it could be for The Big 12 Championship. NOTE: Not a happy face emoticon for a team NOT from Texas winning.

The Tigers of LSU win the Bacon and Roller Skates Award for rolling over Arkansas and continuing to roll along in the SEC WEST. LSU and Arkansas 38 to10. Can we skip Thanksgiving in College Station this year?

The Clean up on Aisle Week 11 and Pepto Dismal Awards go:

Auburn – for being upset by Georgia 13 to 7. Of course any team that plays Auburn is my favorite team. Go DAWGS!

The team formerly #2 Clemson wins the It’s the Pitts Award. The kicker for Pitt wins a That’s the Point Award for making a 48 yard field goal with 5 seconds left to play.

The team formerly # 3 Michigan loses 13 to 14 over Iowa. Iowa wins The Pittsburg Steelers Look Alike Uniforms Award. The kicker for Iowa wins a That’s the Point Award! for kicking the winning field goal to upset Michigan in the final seconds.

And on the West Coast the USC Trojans of California were high and happy by upsetting the team formerly # 4 Washington 26-13. The Huskies’ dog house might be damaged for a chance at playoffs.

The November to Dismember Award goes to the Texas A&M and Ole Miss game and everybody associated with it beginning with:

Number One. Whose bright idea was it at the SEC Network to not only let Brent Mushmouth call the Aggie/Ole Miss game, but to let him work alone the first half? It made me almost glad when Jesse Palmer joined him. At least he could call (maybe even see) the correct names and numbers of the players. Brent, if you are so “glad to be back in Texas and College Station” please learn to correctly pronounce the names of the towns in Texas.

Number Two. Texas A&M and Ole Miss – Hotty Toddy Tequila Shotty!

Number Three. The Just in Time for Christmas the Collapsible Defense Doll. This doll works like a charm until the 4th quarter. Then it lies down, collapses and dies.

Number Four. The Q&A with Coach Chavis – did you fall asleep during the fourth quarter? Was it Irritable Bowel Syndrome? What the hell happened? Whatever it was it was stinky! A true freshman, just unred-shirted quarterback playing his first game and IN KYLE FIELD in front of over 100,000!! I am awarding you the Ricky Ricardo Award because “Oh Lucy! You got some splaining to do!”

As always, “Texas Aggies, down in Aggieland; we’ve got spirit – to the man; STAND UNITED that’s the Aggie theme; we’re the 12th Man on the Team…”

Twelfth Man (800x600)

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Posted in College Football, Education, humor, Misc., Native Texan, Politics, Texas Aggies

Tagged Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Baylor Bears, Baylor football, Big 12 Conference, college football, College Football; Texas Aggies, Crimson Tide, LSU, LSU football, Oklahoma State University, Ole Miss, OU, The University of Texas

Sunday, November 13, 2016 – Here’s What I’m Thinking – Post Election

Posted on November 14, 2016 | Leave a comment

11.10.15 Veterans Park 2015-09-27 008 (601x800)

Photo by me.

Sunday, November 13, 2016 – Here’s What I’m Thinking – Post Election

To both candidates’ supporters. Some thoughts. Take or leave.

No foreign enemy attacked the United States. Be thankful.
There is a renewed sense of activism.
Never give up on your dreams and beliefs.
It is only four years and We, the People vote again.
Please stop making derogatory and hateful sweeping generalizations about the millenials. They will vote again. Remember every generation that came after yours (and mine) the generations before us said ‘the world was going to Hell in a hand basket because of us.” Remember the hippies and their (our) protests of 1968 were destined to end the world.
Please try to understand the disappointments reflected by others and especially stop making comments about their parental units. You have not walked through life in their shoes; nor have their walked in yours.
Please try to understand why certain groups that see the world differently than you do are afraid. See boots and shoes comment.
We are living history. Technological advances allow us see history happening 24/7.
Please do not be disappointed and hateful when gridlock appears in Washington, D.C. The operative word(s) is (are) “compromise” not “obstructive politics.”
Go outside Monday and look at the Super Moon. It is the same moon that has been there since time began. It is the same moon that has seen everything on earth and we are still here.

Thank you Neil Diamond for these words:

Jesus Christ, Fanny Brice Wolfie Mozart and Humphrey Bogart

And Genghis Khan And on to H. G. Wells Ho Chi Minh, Gunga Din

Henry Luce and John Wilkes Booth and Alexanders King and Graham Bell

Ramar Krishna, Mama Whistler

Patrice Lumumba and Russ Colombo

Karl and Chico Marx

Albert Camus, E. A. Poe, Henri Rousseau

Sholom Aleichem and Caryl Chessman Alan Freed and Buster Keaton too

And each one there Has one thing shared

They have sweated beneath the same sun

Looked up in wonder at the same moon

And wept when it was all done For bein’ done too soon

For bein’ done too soon For bein’ done too soon.

Photo by me.

If your plans include making America GREATER, we are not done.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016 – Vote Pray Love! And the Winner Is…

Posted on November 8, 2016 | 1 comment

Tuesday, November 8, 2016 – Vote Pray Love! And the Winner Is…

It is Election Day in The United States of America. Today citizens select the next leader of our republic. Our democracy calls for a peaceful transition of power. There is no king or queen who gets the role by hereditary. There is no forceful usurpation by a dictator. We, the people select a new leader through the voting process guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution and amendments to the document.

The Preamble to the Constitution which states the purpose of the document reads:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Today there are two schools of thought. Old School – two things you never want to see being made – sausage and legislation or in this case – politics and the goings on of the proverbial smoke filled rooms of yesteryear.

Millennials’ School – you wanted to see a transparent government. With social media reaching critical mass one gets to see and hear everything. How do you like seeing the transparent government so far?

Tonight is going to be a Betty Davis evening. “Fasten your seatbelts; it’s going to be a bumpy night.” (All About Eve)

Life is about choices. One can choose to sing songs like Barry McGuire’s – On the Eve of Destruction

Handful of senators don’t pass legislation

And marches alone can’t bring integration

When human respect is disintegratin’

This whole crazy world is just too frustratin’

And you tell me over and over and over again my friend

Ah, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction

Or you can sing The Beatles We Can Work It Out:

Life is very short, and there’s no time

For fussing and fighting, my friend

I have always thought that it’s a crime

So I will ask you once again

Try to see it my way

Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong

While you see it your way

There’s a chance that we may fall apart before too long

We can work it out! We can work it out!

Your choice. Both of those songs were released in 1965. We, the People are still here and

We, the People … We can work it out!

Flags @ Front (800x529)

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Posted in Education, Politics

Monday, November 7, 2016 – My Monday After Saturday College Football Awards

Posted on November 7, 2016 | Leave a comment

Monday, November 7, 2016 – My Monday After Saturday College Football Awards

Backstory for the new kids on the blog – I write about teams I like and teams that play teams I like. If your team is not mentioned let me know and I take it under consideration.

First from the West Coast – USC versus Oregon – I don’t even know the score, but you both receive the Rubber Duck Award.

Next on the list we have the Small 12 Conference or The Land of No Defenses.

THE University of Texas survived the plains of Lubbock with a victory over Tortilla Tech. (THE University 45 TT 37.) My favorite team is whoever is playing Tech. Tech (800x600)

Oklahoma State 43 K-State 37. Mullet Mike and The Cowboys survive. Both of you win a Poopy Undies Award for scaring your fans.

The Kick Off to Tip Off Awards goes to Baylor and TCU for posting a basketball score of TCU 62 Baylor 22 on the opening weekend of college basketball season. And the score was not the only Uglies coming from Waco.

An Ugly Uniform Award goes to Baylor. Fifty shades of Waco is not becoming. Gray is not colorful. Neither is black as in the black cloud of ugly that seems to be a stationary front over the institution. Therefore, Baylor also receives the Frozen Award – Let It Go!

Look, Bears Pooping in the Woods, it is bad enough without constant reminders of ugly. Please do not hang dirty laundry out your windows. Who gets the sales from the T-shirts? cab-sign-out-suit-copy-800x600 Focus on the low level bowl game invitation you will now receive.

Letting go of that, let’s move on to the Top 10 and the SEC where games are more exciting and stressful.

The Bringing Home the Alligator Bacon goes to the Hogs of Arkansas! (Arkansas 31 Florida 10) Sooey Pig over 11th ranked Florida. Another favorite team is whoever is playing any school from Florida.

To players Chip Kelly of Ole Miss; Trevor Knight and Myles Garrett of Texas A&M, the Nebraska QB and all the others: All of you receive the Heal Quickly Award. Will miss you next weekend, Chip. I wanted to see you play against the Aggies.

And now the top tiered top ten college football awards. These 10 teams are listed according to today’s AP listings. Tomorrow we see who The Selection Committee votes for the Who’s In Top Four. Larry Culpepper and Dr. Pepper seem to be winning above all the others.

# 1 Alabama and LSU – (Bama 10 – LSU 0) Please share the following awards:

Best Football Game of the Weekend
A Special Edition of Poopy Undies Award
The “I Did Not Know I Could Hold My Breath for 47 Minutes” Award.
Defense – please share your videos with schools of the schools of the Small 12 Conference and perhaps these others listed below.

# 2 Michigan Maryland (Michigan 59 MD 3.) Michigan wins the Turtle Wax Award for waxing the Terrapins. Wolverines like turtles.

# Clemson and Syracuse (Clemson 54 Syracuse 0) – Clemson Wins the Too Much Orange on the Field Award.

# 4 Washington and Cal (formerly known as Berkley.) (Washington 66 Cal 27) Huskies receive the In the Right Rankings Now Award.

# 5 Louisville and Boston College (Louisville 52 BC 7) – Lamar Looking Heisman Good Award.

# 6 Ohio State and Nebraska (Ohio State 62 Nebraska 3) – The Huskers receive the Fun While It Lasted Award. Corn headwear really looks stupid when you lose to a nut named Bucky.

The Really Don’t Deserve an Award goes to the following:

# 7 Wisconsin and Northwestern (Wisconsin 21 Northwestern 7) – Badgers preparing for a bowl game where it is warm.

# 8 AUBURN? AUBURN! A hair color? You beat Vanderbilt by a touchdown 23 – 16! ROLL TIDE!

# 9 OU versus Iowa State (OU 34 Iowa State 24) – Bedlam is coming soon and The Cowboys are coming with it!

Coming in at # 10 is Texas A&M – where the Aggies should have been in the first place. (Texas A&M 28 Mississippi State 35) What a shipwreck in Starksville.

Aggies you receive a Hoover Vacuum Cleaner Award because we sucked as bad as the referees. Even I saw the block in the back on Captain Kirk’s punt return. Aggies win Pooper Scooper Award for leaving lots of it on the field.

Pooper Scoopers (800x599)

Nevertheless, “We are the Aggies; the Aggies are we…” and we do not lose – time on the clock runs out. We got your back, Jake! barn-n-park-9-22-16-2016-09-22-041-800x530

Tomorrow we see who the College Football Selection Committee votes for and who the citizens of The United States of America votes for. Please do not forget to cast your ballot. PS – we do not get to vote with the Selection Committee.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016 – One Week Away – Logophobia

Posted on November 1, 2016 | 2 comments

Tuesday, November 1, 2016 – One Week Away

I hope you and your neighborhood had a safe and candy-filled Halloween. I passed out tequila shots and cigarettes again this year. The children did not seem too happy, but the parents really enjoyed it.

But onward thru the fog…

Good Morning, Class,

Our vocabulary word for today is “logophobia.” It is a noun meaning an obsessive fear of words.

Your logophobic words for today are:

Emails

Servers

Hackers

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Clinton(s)

Obama(s)

Trump(s)

Wiener

Change

VOTE

Quote: There is just one cure for logophobia and that is self-scrutiny—to discover whether one’s reaction to a given term when seen in a newspaper or heard from a platform is really justified by the true significance. “Logophobia,” The Nation, August 23, 1919.

Austin Graffitti Wall 8.24.13 2013-08-24 008

Austin Graffitti Wall Austin, Texas – 8.24.13 – Photo by me.

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Posted in Education, humor, Misc., Politics

Tagged Donald Trump, FBI, Hillary Clinton

Monday, October 31, 2016 – The Monday After Saturday College Football Awards – Trick or Treat!

Posted on October 31, 2016 | 2 comments

Monday, October 31, 2016 – The Monday After Saturday College Football Awards – Trick or Treat!

College football on Saturday was indeed trick or treat. Some teams got the treat while others got the trick. The college football playoffs begins to heat up. Let’s begin.

With all due respect to Jimmy Fallon and his Friday night Thank You Notes –

The Thank You Note Awards go to:

Thank you, Texas, for beating Baylor 34 to 35 to knock the Bears out of The AP Top Ten, the possibility of a Baylor/Texas A&M Bowl game, and playoff possibilities. Hook ‘Em Hippies! To you Baylor, Aggies truly understand your feelings watching the Horn-kicked football split the uprights during the last seconds.
Thank you, Auburn, for beating the stuffing out of Ole Miss and giving the Rebels a second SEC West loss and making the Texas A&M/Ole Miss game exciting.
Thank you Wyoming, for beating Boise State 30 to 28 ensuring we will not have to look at the seizure blue field of Boise State on TV.
Thank you Tortilla Tech for beating TCU 27 to 24 in double OT. Because it is Halloween, Tortilla Tech is awarded The One-Eyed; one-horned flying purple people eater award for sending the Frogs out of contention.
Thank you Oklahoma State for beating West Virginia 37 to 20 and keeping a shred of dignity and possibility of winning the Small 12 Conference.

Next we have the Slip and Slide Away Awards. This award is presented to teams who had victory escape from them in the closing moments of the game. In addition all of these teams receive a Poopy Undies Award. Moving down field the Slip and Slide Away and Poopy Undies Awards are presented to:

Michigan 32 Michigan State 23
Louisville 32 Virginia 25
Ohio State 24 Northwestern 20
Washington 34 Utah 24
Wisconsin 23 Nebraska 17
Clemson 37 Florida State 34

In the SEC Alabama beat Bye Week University and LSU was victorious over Bye University @ Baton Rouge. Wonder what will happen this Saturday.

The final award today goes to The Best Football Team in the state of Texas – The Fighting Texas Aggies! The Aggies of Texas A&M beat the Aggies of New Mexico State 52 to 10 causing national sports announcers to say things like:

“Texas A&M is a bona fide National Playoff Contender.”

barn-n-park-9-22-16-2016-09-22-041-800x530

It is Halloween and statements like that scare me to pieces. Happy Halloween.

Gig ‘Em Aggies and BTHO Mississippi State.

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Posted in College Football, Education, humor, Misc., Native Texan, Texas Aggies

Tagged Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Baylor football, College Football; Texas Aggies, Crimson Tide, Jimmy Fallon, LSU, Oklahoma State University, Ole Miss, TCU, The University of Texas

Monday, October 24, 2016 – Two Months Until Christmas Eve, but First – The Monday After Saturday College Football Awards

Posted on October 24, 2016 | Leave a comment

Monday, October 24, 2016 – Two Months Until Christmas Eve, but First – The Monday After Saturday College Football Awards

The first awards today are The Buzzard Awards. buzzard-rp-800x450 The first Buzzard Award goes to the officiating crew who called the Alabama/ Texas A&M game on both sides of the ball. Let’s review – when a player’s mouth piece is knocked from his mouth and flies over the shoulder of the hitting player him and the hittee’s helmet’s visor cracks, it is called TARGETING!

The second Buzzard Award goes to CBS and Vern Lunquist and Gary Whatever Your Name is for spewing forth words during about the Aggie/Bama game that was supposed to be your game commentary. Gary, no one cares what play you would have called. This is why you are not coaching. This award comes with free engraving SHUT UP!

buzzards-800x727

The Third Buzzard Award goes to the only announcers who were worse than Vern and Gary (and this includes Mack Brown and Brent Mushburger) were the announcers for THE University of Texas and Kansas State game. Which one of you called a player a “specimen?” SPECIMEN? SEDAGIVE? I needed one listening to you two. I am throwing in a Free Mute Button Award for this pair. At least twice guy announcer referred to Texas’ players’ off side penalties as “you must be able to hold your water.” WTH does that mean? Are you a urologist? I will not even go into your diagnosis of LSU’s Leonard Fournette’s ankle injury comparing it yours. (I.e. Sample size of one.)

Moving downfield in the Small 12 Conference – Baylor wins over Bye University again. Don’t you get to play them one more time?

The Hands to my Face Award and the award for Little Shop of Horrors goes to THE University of Texas. Enough torture for the Horns so I am not even going into any details.

The Air Show over Lubbock Award is shared by Oklahoma who scored 66 points to Tortilla Tech’s 59. Why do they even offer scholarships to players to play defense? Why not get an intermural team?

My First Favorite Game of the Week Award goes to the Mustangs of SMU for the crushing victory over the University of Houston 38 to 16. I wonder about the lavender colored ponies on the helmets, but whatever works.

My second Favorite Game of the Week Award goes to Penn State for defeating #2 Ohio State University by a score of 24 to 21. I guess Nittany Lions like nuts.

The We Always Win Half Time Award goes the Fighting Texas Aggie Band.

Photo by Mickey

Photo by Mickey

If these crooked lines are the Alabama Million Dollar Band, they are not getting their money’s worth.

Alabama 33 Texas A&M 14. The Time Ran Out as The Tide Rolled In Award goes to Texas A&M. Great game to both teams. A nine and one schedule with the one loss being the #1 will still look good.

Besides who is left on schedule for the Aggies? Oh crap. Ole Miss and LSU. Way to GEAUX Tigers. See you at Thanksgiving.