Category Archives: Politics

Tuesday, May, 10, 2016 – Here’s What I’m Thinking – or Déjà vu all over again.

Tuesday, May, 10, 2016 – Here’s What I’m Thinking – or Déjà vu all over again.

Given that I somehow picked up a cyber bucket load of friends over the weekend I thought I better tell everyone about Here’s What I’m Thinking again. I am already wondering how many have Unfollowed or Unfriended me already.

I write a weblog called Here’s What I’m Thinking (HWIT). The blog then connects to Facebook and other social media sites. The easiest way to read what I am thinking about is to Google Drdrd85.me. It should take you directly to the website.

The purpose is to make at least one person smile/laugh or think every day – Monday through Friday and sometimes on the weekend. Notice: it is not called Here’s What I Believe. Nor it is called Here’s What I think You Should Believe.

During the seasons (college football and college basketball) I write about sports. But it is not your ordinary sports column – mine include critiques of all fashion attire from the press box to the field. “Bent Mushberger? Who dressed you this morning? Please retire and go away.”

Monday is always My Monday after Football Weekend Awards. You can almost bet money that The Ugliest Uniform Award will go to the West Coast and probably from Oregon. Is there NIKE factory just for pukey yellow?

I write about teams I like and teams that play teams that I like. This includes The Fighting Texas Aggies, the LSU Tigers, the rest of the SEC except for Florida and any school from that peninsula. I write about Uncle Will Muschamp at SC or whatever school happens to have hired him. I write about the Baylor Bears, THE University of Texas at Austin and what is left of the Big 12 Conference, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks and Notre Dame or RL and refer to them as the NBC Network Conference.

Sidebar: Alabama. I have nothing to say about the school at the moment. But I know if I do not specifically mention Alabama, the Roll Tide Roll readers will comment.

Somedays I think about politics. Since none of us seem to know what to think about this year’s presidential election, I am a bipartisan snark. For example: Please sign the petition to get Hillary to stop wearing the green brocade jacket. It looks like you made it from the parlor curtains. Or perhaps to Mr. Trump – Sir, if elected will you have your private plane repainted as Air Force One or will you purchase a new one?”

I seem to have a diverse group of readers representing many views and experiences. Please know I respect you and your views. While I may disagree with you on some issues I will defend to the death and Remember the Alamo your right to say it.

Some days I write about the Texas public education system and the educational institution. You think the loss of cursive writing is an issue. See what else is happening to the youth of America.

As the first Native Born Texan in the family, I post many topics about Texas.

Texas Wall 2 (800x592)

My Proud to be from Texas Wall.

But as my dear Mama used to say “The only thing that separates a Coon Ass from a Jack Ass is the Sabine River.” Some days Louisiana gets the topic de jour. See French. Good, huh?

And of course I write about my family and friends. This is how I get readers. They live in fear of what I am going to say. If I know you or have known you, I WILL write about you at some point in time. You should hope I refer to you with a loving nickname because I like you and only you know who you are. If I don’t like you, I might add all of your personal information including a MapQuest link to your house.

At least 98% of what I post is my original work including photographs. The remaining 2% comes from other postings only if I am impressed or too lazy to post my own work. If I use some one’s photo, I try to give credit to the photographer or from whose collection I borrowed it.

That is a summary of Here’s What I Thinking. Thank you for reading. I hope you find something along the way to make you smile or think about.

Texas Flag @ Sunset (800x600)

Photo by me.

CC: Hillary Clinton’s email server

Thursday, May 5, 2016 – Happy Cinco de Mayo! It is NOT Mexican Independence Day!

Thursday, May 5, 2016 – Happy Cinco de Mayo! It is NOT Mexican Independence Day!

Photo by me. January 15, 1991. Inauguration of Governor Ann Richards.

Photo by me. January 15, 1991. Inauguration of Governor Ann Richards.

Good morning boys and girls,

Our vocabulary word for today is Margaritaceous. It is an adjective describing how you will feel with that first sip of the celebratory margarita you have today. Whenever you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo, I am thinking the following information could prove useful to you.

Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). It is relatively minor holiday in Mexico. In the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. Today the United States has the largest population in the world that celebrates Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo traditions include parades, mariachi music performances and street festivals in cities and towns across Mexico and the United States.

Actually, the definition of margaritaceous is “resembling mother-of-pearl; pearly.” But doesn’t that describe a margarita? Resembling mother-of-pearl?

Wednesday, May 4, 2016 – Golf, Politics and Football

Wednesday, May 4, 2016 – Golf, Politics and Football

The Briarcrest Women’s Golf Association begins play today in The President’s Cup Tournament. For the next three Wednesday’s we play 18 holes and turn in our two best score cards.

Speaking of score cards… It appears Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will be the finalists for rest of the campaign circus. I saw where one could get a “Woman Card” from the Hillary campaign. Am I going to need this to go to a public bathroom? Say for example – when I am tailgating at Kyle Field?

Four months from today, Texas Aggies across the world will be reading of the Aggie football team’s victory over UCLA. Football season is three months and 29 days away from kickoff. The 2016 SEC Championship Game is predicted to be between LSU and Tennessee. Tennessee? Rocky Top and the Tigers?

The Texas Aggies have a 100 to 1 chance of winning the National Football Championship. Why are you laughing – THE University of Texas at Austin? They are the same odds you have of raising the National Championship trophy in Austin. Both schools should be crying – those are the same odds of The University of Houston winning the championship.

Me and Tailgating

Tailgating @ Kyle Field – 2015 When Alabama came to town.

Gig’Em! We do have a Knight in shining maroon armor. I hope I have a golf club that shines today. Please let it be the putter.

Sunday, May 1, 2016 – It’s May! It’s May! The Lusty Month of May! Vote for Von!

Sunday, May 1, 2016 – It’s May! It’s May! The Lusty Month of May! Vote for Von!

Since I will be out tomorrow hopefully making the world a better place, enjoy a special edition of HWIT and vote for Von!

Here’s What I’m Thinking. Von Miller, his partner and all the male dancers on Dancing with the Stars should dance to The Aggie Song from Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Video at the end. YEE-HAW!

Better than an Aggie football game?

They’ve never seen a body quite like this!

Right between the goals!

75 miles until we get to heaven;

75 miles until our plans are laid,

75 miles until we get to The Chicken Ranch

Where history and Aggie Boys get made.

 

Wednesday, April 27, 2016 – Here’s What I’m Thinking (HWIT) and Welcome to the New Girls and Boys

Wednesday, April 27, 2016 – Here’s What I’m Thinking (HWIT) and Welcome to the New Girls and Boys

I noticed some new faces on Facebook and decided I needed to channel in Madeline Hunter, Patron Saint of Education to do some reteaching about HWIT. So pay attention because this is Texas education you know there will be an assessment at some point down the road.

Two years ago I created a blog called Here’s What I’m Thinking (HWIT). Last year I connected HWIT to Facebook. In spite of many and seeming non related postings it is spiritually based and inspired. It was indeed a leap of faith to put your daily journal online.

The purpose of HWIT is to make at least one person smile/laugh and/or think five days a week. One does not have to agree with anything I think about. It is not called Here’s What I Believe.

The business plan to attract readers is “If I have known you in the past or know you in the present, I WILL write about you in the future.” When I do, you better hope you fall into the statistical bell shaped curve within one standard deviation that what I write you is positive or that I change your name. Everyone in my family reads it on a daily basis in fear. Many of my friends and all of my enemies have become regular readers.

Ninety-nine percent of HWIT is my original work. My photographs or my father’s extensive collection of photographs. My writing. My brain. My brain’s unique ability to make weird and hopefully humorous connections for the amusement of others.

When I do have to get a photo from a website, I try to remember to give credit. For example, I do not have a photograph of a tiger. It is difficult to write about LSU without a tiger and I want a photo that I take of a tiger. I was unable to get to Conroe recently to photograph the tiger, tiger burning bright that was captured near Panorama. You just never know what might wash and walk out of East Montgomery County. Sorry, Dr. Madeline was bird walking.

During the first several reads, the topics appear to be random as though the brain is locked into random access mode. If one reads the postings long enough, you can see the logical sequential brain is working and patterns emerge.

During the seasons there is much ado about college football and college basketball. Year round there is much ado about The Fighting Texas Aggies. This also encompasses Baylor, Oklahoma State, THE University of Texas in Austin, LSU, the entire Big 12 or what remains of it and the entire Southeastern (SEC) and teams playing any of the above mentioned. For example, last year I wrote about Uncle Will Muschamp bringing his then Florida team to College Station. I suggested he stay in Hearne. This year when you bring your exploding anger head from South Carolina, I suggest you stay in Bremond.

Because my state of Texas is the boldest and grandest, withstanding every test, you can always count on Texas Our Texas as a topic.

Texas Wall 2 (800x592)

I often discuss the Texas public education system, or what is left of it. Also falling under education you can find the scarlet letter A for ASSESSMENT, B as in Board of Education, C for Common Core and D for Dumbass Leaders. Wait that goes under L for Legislature.

From the File “You cannot recover from being a bureaucrat,” comes politics. This topic is often tied to education. More often, however, it is closer related to the lack of an education. Please know in the current reality TV show known as The US Presidential Election, I display bipartisan viewpoints on all of the candidates. For example, assuming Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump become the Democratic and Republican candidates, I think they should debate dressed as Maud in those long, you know what they are hiding jackets and Archie Bunker. Weren’t Maud and Archie cousins?

Check for understanding. Is there any feedback? I will wait for prescribed number of seconds for your response.

Sign (800x530)

It used to be eight seconds, but has increased over time due the daily challenges of an educator.

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2016 – The Big Rich

Tuesday, April 26, 2016 – Once I built a railroad; I made it run; I made it race against time. Once I built a railroad, but now it’s done, Buddy, can you spare me a dime?

In this case, “Once I found an oil well…” The Big Rich – The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes by Bryan Burrough takes the story from there.

The end result is the same. “Buddy, can you spare me a dime?” Just as Can You Spare a Dime? came to be viewed as an anthem to the shattered dreams broken by The Great Depression of the 1930’s, The Big Rich – The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes tells the story of the shattered dreams and fortunes broken by oil.

If you are a native Texan, grew up in Texas, got to Texas as fast as you could or live in Texas now, this book explains a lot. What is it about? “Oil, that is. Texas tea!” (From The Ballad of Jed Clampitt) and the big four who made the state and possibly the country what it is today.

It will take you from Spindletop (January 10, 1901) in Beaumont to the political landscape of Texas today. From Dallas, we have H.L Hunt and his THREE bigamists families, the eccentric Sid Richardson (this is where the Bass Brothers from Dallas come in), and Clint Murchison, Sr, whose son, Clint, Jr. would own the Dallas Cowboys. The Cullen Family from Houston creates the fourth family of the Big Four. And gushing oil and squandering incomprehensible sums of money in between we find the Conroe, Texas oil fields and George Strake, Glen McCarthy and the Shamrock Hotel in Houston and many more names on buildings we drive by daily. Plus there are more lawyers and lawsuits than students attending Roy Cullen’s beloved University of Houston today. In 1938, Hugh Roy Cullen donated $335,000 (equivalent to $5,631,643.03 in 2015) (2) for the first building to be built at the location of U of H today.

Those waiting in lines at the gas stations in the 1970s and organizations with letters like OPEC become clear. That cornering the silver market thing no body understood at the time (and I did not until I read this book) gives insight into The Middle East and the resulting economic and political policies in place today. And yes, it becomes clear why Jerry Jones’ purchase of the Dallas Cowboys hurts so badly even today. And how and why did Houston get an NFL team that was once called the Houston Oilers in a new football league called the AFL? It is all in this book.

The foundations of anti-federalism (Big Government, States’ Rights, Right-wing ultra-conservative thinking) begin with these four families. The link between the views and values of these four, Ted Cruz (Senate- R-Texas) and Donald Trump and the presidential election today is strong.

Nothing exhibits the age of the great, Texas oil boom and bust better than the Cadillac Ranch(1) outside Amarillo, Texas.

Palo Duro Canyon Trip 4.15 2015-04-21 007 (800x600)

Photo by me – Amarillo, Texas 4.15. 2015

From 1949 to 1963 the caddies buried nose down, fins up correspond almost exactly to the decades of the Texas oil booms and busts that resulted from Spindletop and all of the others. It was when the big and rich from Texas oil bragged and bought Cadillacs, airplanes, big houses, hotels, islands, politicians, radio stations, newspapers and as always, more oil wells. By the mid 1970’s it was nose down and fins and belly up for it all.

Two footnotes to history:

The Republicans of the 1930’s and 1940’s tried to get Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime banned from radio play because it was “Anti-capitalist propaganda promoted by the Democrats and President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal.”

The Nieman-Marcus Christmas Catalog was created for the families of the Big Four.

Sources

  1. Cadillac Ranch is not a ranch but a public art installation and sculpture in Amarillo, Texas, USA. It was created in 1974 by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels, who were a part of the art group Ant Farm. It consists of what were (when originally installed during 1974) either older running used or junk Cadillac automobiles, representing a number of evolutions of the car line (most notably the birth and death of the defining feature of mid twentieth century Cadillacs: the tailfins) from 1949 to 1963, half-buried nose-first in the ground, at an angle corresponding to that of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. (Wikipedia)
  2. “Discover UH’s Heritage & History”. UH Alumni Organization. Archived from the original on November 7, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-16. From Wikipedia

Friday, April 22, 2016 – Happy Earth Day

Friday, April 22, 2016 – Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day to You,

Happy Earth Day to You

Happy Earth Day Dear Earth,

Happy Earth Day to You.

Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and celebrated in more than 193 countries each year.

I seem to recall celebrating Earth Day in 1970 at dear ole SFA. Was it part of Greek Week and Spring Fling? Help me out sisters!

Earth shoe 2 Earth shoes (800x563)

And who could forget the original Earth shoes? Yes, I had a pair. Talk about ugly footwear. Today the footwear is quite attractive and the company does good things for the Earth when pair is sold to a customer.

So bring out your hippie self today, celebrate our environment and go do something good for Mother Earth today and every day. Maybe we can purchase some new Earth shoes and get some trees planted.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016 – Yes, We Will and Other Comments from Yesterday’s News

Wednesday, April 20, 2016 – Yes, We Will and Other Comments from Yesterday’s News

Here’s What I’m Thinking

Buddy Glasses

“Yes, We Will” is Ted Cruz’s new campaign slogan. Will What? That is the best your team could up with? Sounds a little like “Yes We Can.” In other Cruz quotes…

Cruz also made an unusual analogy to wrestling or yoga, depending on which mat you prefer.

“America has always been best when she is lying down with her back on the mat,” he said. http://www.salon.com/2016/04/20/america_has_always_been_best_when_she_is_lying_down_with_her_back_on_the_mat_what_was_ted_cruz_talking_about_last_night/

DSC_1153 - Copy (800x527)

Photo by me – Helicopter Ride New York – 1986

Where did your speech writers learn to write your lines? – From Best Little Whorehouse in Texas?

In Mr. Trump’s acceptance speech from New York, he said – we will get rid of Common Core and provide education locally. The exact quote “Local communities are going to take care of their education need.”

Just exactly how is that going to work? Especially if local communities do not want federal education funding? Are you planning for local communities to change their schools’ names to something more like “By God (mine, not yours) Independent School Districts and Local Communities?”

And Hillary and Bernie – Kiss and make up. Bernie, I am certain you will get a nice spot somewhere in her administration. However, watch out for one of those Castro twins from Texas to be the Veep.

Regardless of the candidates, their metaphors, similes, analogies, quotes and ideas create images in my brain that are not pretty. What are those Caribbean Island coordinates? I think I can think more clearly there.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016 – The Hoi Polloi Speaketh from New York

Tuesday, April 19, 2016 – The Hoi Polloi Speaketh from New York

Hoi polloi – pronounced HOI puh-LOI. It is a noun that means “the common people; the masses (often preceded the).

Brooklyn Bridge (800x534)

Photo by me. New York City – Brooklyn Bridge – 1986.

And then there were five candidates vying for the delegates from New York. There are three former/current US Senators; a current governor and a businessman with bad hair. Tonight we see who is voted off the island. We also learn who is voted off of Dancing With the Stars.

It seems the reality show called To Elect the President has played the states’ stages of production and revisions and will premier tonight from New York. As the show becomes more refined, often name changes are in order. Here’s What I’m Thinking for possible names for coming reality show productions – The Republican and Democratic Conventions.

  • Cussing for The White House
  • The Great Name Calling Shows
  • The Great Hoi Polloilooza
  • Hoi Polloi POTUS
  • We’re Doing the Hoi Polloi Polka
  • The Biggest Hoi Polloi Loser
  • Hoi Polloi – That’s My Boy!

Whatever the hoi polloi have to say tonight, perhaps we can get permission for Larry King to use the following lyrics. Not the talk show host Larry King.

Oooh I love to dance the little sidestep; now they seem me now they don’t;

I’ve Come and Gone.

And Oooh. I love to sweep around the wide step

Cut a little swath and lead the people on!”

Staten Island Ferry (800x500)

Photo by me – The Staten Island Ferry – New York City – 1986.

Monday, April 18, 2016 – Way to Give ‘Em the Axe Jacks! NCAA Division I Women’s Bowling National Champs!

Monday, April 18, 2016 – Way to Give ‘Em the Axe Jacks! 2016 NCAA Division I Women’s Bowling National Champs!

Bowling Banner (800x450)

National Championships in any sport are proud moments. Check this out – Last year the Lady Jacks finished second behind Nebraska in the Finals. This year they won and the bowling program/team at SFA is only in its sixth (6th) year of existence.

Since I have every sports channel available, I actually watched the replay last night on ESPNU. You were expecting another network besides ESPN?

Coaches (800x450)

It was quite exciting. Basically, these very strong women, wearing very short skirts and ugly shoes turn their arms and hands into putters and accurately roll a 10 plus pound ball down a narrow wooden lane to knock over large numbers of funny shaped objects called pins.

That is the Nebraska Coach on the left. I am sure he could also be a physics professor on the side. The SFA assistant coach is on the right. Note: His wife is actually the Bowling Coach. I wonder if those pants he is wearing come in my size. I got to get me some of those. You too, RL and Longmire.

The teams play the best 4 of 7 games.  SFA won game seven by crushing (shall we say chopping) the Corn Huskers by over 50 points or pins.

Wait to go Ladies!!!

My two new favorite T-Shirts will be.

Stephen F. Austin State University NCAA National Champs Women’s Bowling.

Ax'Em Jacks!

Texas A&M University NCAA National Championship – Men’s Polo. No photo available.  It is not as easy to carry your horse as it is to carry a bowling ball. I understand clean up is more intense also.

Stay dry.