Y'all Just Dumb As F*ck Aint Ya?

Do you know how many times I wanted to look out into the classroom and say that? I came close I know, but you know, the older I get the more I so wish I would have said it.....What was the only thing they could have done to me? Fire me? I was on borrowed time my entire time while I was there anyway. I got out while I could.

Why is Mr. Thomas throwing a tirade?

This comes on the latest survey where less than 1/3 of Americans can find Iran on a Map....This is a map of the region, not a global map, to which the percentage falls to about 23%.

If your going to fight the places, at least know where the hell it is....

Ambrose Bierce was right( Look him up, short story writer, Civil War Officer, adventurer, died running around with rebels in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. Wrote "The Devil's Dictionary." one of the great piece of satire in American Literature Example-"Love: A temporary insanity curable by marriage." .... Also  wrote"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge".... )

Anyway, this is what he said about the American people....

"War is God's way of teaching Americans geography."

Hey! Have Y'all Seen This?

I've been sick and in truth, haven't given a good crap about much of anything, but this tidbit of bad information crossed my screen a while ago....

Friday Night, Saturday morning, we are under a damaging wind event. 75 mph winds. A level 3 event. I was looking at the models a few minutes ago and would not be shocked if it was upped to a level 4 event......

Batten down the hatches....SE Texas....

Since when did we have storms like this......In January? This is a March-April-May event....

Okay, I'm Going to "B*tch"

It makes me feel better when I do this, and I am already sick as a damn mule with a Chinese eye balling me for supper.

I am to the point, if you are reading this, you are about the only people I am willing to marry.

Had a couple ask me to marry them, one of those, friend of a friend's dealie in a few months.

Come to find out it is in some town north of Denton, TX almost to Sherman, TX. ( North of Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denton's home of University of North Texas and Texas Women's University) And they wanted a freebie. I told them, they'd have to at least pay gas and for a hotel. And they got upset.

It was a deal breaker. No one in their right mind wants to stay in Sherman. ( I am sure they'll find a minister up there to do it for $400. That is about the going rate for non-friends)

So, unless you are reading this, again, and I don't mind doing it, especially if it is in this area.. I'm not driving almost to Oklahoma for free. Especially if I don't know you.

The Draft

I am sorry, I have not been active, but I am sick as a dog. I don't think flu, but going to doc first thing in the morning. Running a pretty good temp however.

The draft is the last thing that the Dept. of Defense wants is a draft because they know the following....

" The worst volunteer is better than the best draftee." A draftee doesn't want to be there and the military knows.

The military understand drafts hurt morale. 

The military tries to keep people in the military.

- Re-enlistment bonus.

- Then a "backdoor draft." People 60 days away from getting out are told, you are staying in, because we need you.....You should have read your contract a little better.

- Then people in the Air Force or Navy can be assigned to Army units, especially if you have a skill like military police.

Then....

- People who have gotten out of the military within a certain time frame can be recalled.

The bonus money is targeting low income communities. This is why "Free College" is not going to be passed in this nation. It is an incentive for the military.

Here is when you start to worry about the draft coming back.

The age limit of people joining the Army will increase.

People overweight to be taken.

People who only have a GED or did not complete school.

They start taking people with felonies.

At that point, they need to worry. So much of the military work is falling to contractors now (Mercenaries)

Until then, I would not worry about the draft. 

Iran War???

I am going to write this blog and see if I can keep it brief and not turn it into a 20,000 word dissertation.

Last night, early this morning, a U.S. drone fired a rocket and killed Iran's Major-General Qassem Soleimani. He was in Baghdad visiting the leaders of the people who were attack the American Embassy in Baghdad this past week. I am sure they were planning the next step. ( Which asks the question, we have fought Iraq two times, defeating them both times in recent history, however, they are now in the camp allowing Iranian leaders to come and go at will in their country.)

Soleimani, was commander of the Iranian Seals, Delta Force, Green Beret, Rangers, Marine Recon all rolled into one. ( They are the Quds, or the unit in Iran's Revolutionary Army who carry out unconventional warfare and terrorist attacks all over the world. Soleimani is Machiavellian in his moves, and many in the world expected him to become the next President of Iran.)

This is not a good guy, but we have for all purposes carried out a political assassination on foreign soil as he is both a military and political leader in Iran. He was basically number 2 in the Iranian government.( Almost like killing the Vice President of a nation)

The next question is this, what will Iran do to carry out revenge against the death of Soleimani? Everyone from the religious "Supreme Leader" to Iran's President to Iran's  foreign minister has said Iran will pay back the U.S.

Will it be terrorist attacks? Will it be some sort of military action? Will they attack our cyber infrastructure?

Will it be immediate? Or will it be down the road? Nations in the Middle East often play the " long game." Attacking after the heat has been turned down. After the initial event has been forgotten here in the Western world.

Will it be several attacks? All at once? Or strung out? 

You can rest assure, it is " All hands on deck" this morning at the Pentagon.

Israel has put their military on "High Alert." And their prime minister was visiting Greece, cut his visit short and returned home. 

You have got to remember, Iran has the ability to use terrorism anyplace around the world against Americans, yes, even American civilians around the world.....Asia, Europe, Latin America, and yes, even here in the United States. And they think nothing of killing civilians.

Anyway, as the Chinese say, " May you live in interesting times. " This morning is certainly interesting.

So, I was in Buna Today.....And I Survived!

I was invited to lunch today by a former student and his wife.

I made the long trip and looped by the old Buna High School, ( now Buna Junior High) went down and turned left on the road just past the railroad tracks. Of course, the new school are gated off. I have never been by, much less into the new high school. When they had "Open House" when it first opened, I had written a couple of not so "positive" blogs about the Buna ISD and it was suggested I may not want to visit.....So, I did not....

Came out down the road by the old sawmill, and turned and went by the "Flame."

I met Travis Harding and his lovely wife and cute oldest child at Faustos.

Faustos was good as normal and they served today the best fried potatoes I have had since I have returned from Scotland.....Why can't we get good fried potatoes in this nation is a mystery to me. In an out of the way cafe, pub, truck stop in the UK and Ireland you can get wonderful fried potatoes.

I am proud of myself that I did not refer to Travis Harding as " Bobby Hill" and his wife as " Mrs. Hill."

I kept thinking Travis would excuse himself for a minute to go to the restroom so I could ask her "What happened?" " You lose a bet?"

Lovely young lady.

All teasing aside, they are a good looking couple, and a cute as a bug child. No doubt who that kid's dad was...

It was a good visit and good to see Travis and meet his family.

I was surprised, or should not be surprised, that as I turned down Hwy 62 South, the " Cock in a Box" Christmas decorations were out in full force.  I always wonder that some maiden aunt looks at those and is hopeful that someone will gift her one this holiday.

And I made it out of town unscathed. There was no ambush at 253 at 62 as I headed South, and I didn't go into any stores looking, and "got the hell out."

It is amazing while there are a few new stores, everything is relativity, the same.

Happy New Year!

Just wanted to wish everyone a "Happy New Year" from the Compound.

2019 was, well, a different year.

It went quickly. We visited Scotland, and other than that personally it was not much of a change in the year.

We were blessed in that the Compound was not flooded by Imelda, and had a good friend up the road check on our home while we were overseas.

We got the kids back to the United States. I know China is now a 12 hour flight, but you know, you just feel better with them in Austin than in Yunnan Province.

I sort of dread this coming year.

Politically, we are coming apart at the seams. Not sure if this is a growing pain or if our time as the dominate nation is, well, done.

The debt alone has me concerned. It grew $1 trillion dollar in 2019. Our debt now stands at $22 trillion. At some point we got to pay this mess off.

I wonder how much more at each other's throats we will become?

I am afraid 2020 is going to get ugly. I wonder if this hated will filter into out national psyche forever?

This hatred is not good for the nation. And the sad part is, some of you relish this hatred of other Americans.

I have a funny feeling this is a going to be a year of turmoil.

Hug your kids. Hug your loved ones. Hug your extended family and friends. Let them know you love them. That is important.

Very important.