Again, For My Ex-Students....

 There are times I get out and about. I know the original hermit/monk, who probably could have made it in a monastery, has been going places....Which would make me a friar, not a monk....

Quick lesson....

Monks- Stay in and chant.

Friar- Get out and about. 

But, I've had appointments, have gone in an actual store that didn't say hardware or dollar in it's name.  Have been seen in a restaurant. 

In the past, I have taught a lot of people. A lot. 30 years of high school kids add up. 

Most of you, I know. And will call you by your last name. 

Trouble is, if you are female, I will call you by your maiden name. And sometimes, husbands get upset when I do so. Like I know the boy from Adam. Unless I the male spouse, I either taught, or is from Buna, I probably don't know the boy. ( I know some, I performed your wedding)....But most no...

And time to time, the boy gets all bent out of shape when I call their wife by the maiden name.....Which makes me wonder seriously about the psychological make-up of the spouse. ( I've been to Deb's PNG Reunion before and what does everyone call her? " Debbie Britain." And I expect them to and in truth, I do not care....Why should I, it was her name for years....) And the boy who gets upset seems to be in the same profession.....And it ain't teachers, professors, lawyers, etc......

Sometimes, I will know you, and won't recall the name. Help the old man out. But most of you, I will know your name. 

And we have done this before. 

You don't have to call me " Mr. Thomas." 

I know people like Tara Laramore will, she has told me " I feel funny calling you something else." 

But, Kerry is fine...Hell, if I was teaching with you, in a meeting, in the teacher's study, I would want you to call me " Kerry." 

And besides, most of you are well, you're getting old. I see the grey hair.  

My nephews are 22 and 18 and long ago, they dropped the " Uncle" when they call my name. It's Kerry or Kerry Don, the addition of " Don" is a family thing, and well, if you add the " Don" well, I do not mind. Hell,  it's my name. 

Anyway, from time to time, I feel the need to go over this, especially when I see a former student and they stumble. fumble what they are going to call me.  

Debating writing a  blog over the war we are now involved in, and it may not be what you want to hear....

 

 

 

Bullies at Buna ISD?

 I am hesitant to go here. 

The world has changed since I long ago darkened the doors of Buna High School. 

And the Lord knows I gave y'all Hell when I was the Gov/Eco teacher at Buna. And I tried to spread out giving you Hell evenly. 

But I know I gave some of you more Hell than others, and to be honest, I saw lost potential in some I rode like a $2 Mule. 

I know I was giving a girl in my class a fit one year and looked in her eyes and thought she was going to " tune-up" and bawl her eyes out.....So I just left her alone. 

A week later she came by during lunch and asked me...." Mr. Thomas are you mad at me?" " You've stopped saying anything to me."   

But, the theme of bullying keeps coming up on social media. Yesterday, bullying at Buna Schools was discussed on a Jasper page. And there were several who added their two cents, most agreeing with the fact that a form of bullying is going on, mostly from other students, but many included faculty and administration in their complaints.  

I know my first year in college band I was hazed like you would not believe. It was just a 
"right of passage" in the 1970s. I gave the Fish Hell my next year, but by the time I was a senior, well, I wound up dating Freshman in the section. And I saw myself as a leader my senior year, and tried to take care of my "Fish." ( To paraphrase Boone from "Animal House" " Hey, you can't abuse that Freshman in my section, that's my Fish to abuse.") 

Again, The Govteach could not teach school today. I could not. As I had a couple I taught tell me " Their kids would literally come home despondent the first day in my class, and would be all downhill from there. "

I am sure I will receive bullying examples and I am hoping I do.....  

Dammit to Hell Lamar Jean!

 When I was in college, that was my friend group's saying when something did not go according to plan.....

I can't just stay watching this war mess. We are in day 4 and I am burned out watching. I literally can't keep up with the news. 

And yesterday alone, I looked and I have been watching about 70 different sites, podcasts, news, streams, etc on the war situation. 

- I threw a fit about the school this morning. Should not have, but I did, and this is with me eating "Happy Pills."  

- Went out to see the " Blood Moon." Saw nothing but clouds and pine trees. 

- Every now and again, Fred will look at me like, " Let me gain a couple of extra pounds and I think I can take him." Just not quite use to having a cat. 

- Saw a sandwich made with a quarter inch of creamy peanut butter,  crunched up sour cream and chives Lay's, BBQ sauce on top of the chips, on a slice of pita bread folded in half. Does not sound like it works, but apparently it does. I have it all but the sour cream chips here, may go and acquire the chips later, just to experiment. 

- That said, I am wanting sloppy joes soon for some reason.... 

- Talking about 15 minutes of fame, whatever happened to the Hawk-Tuah girl? After her crypto misadventure, she just disappeared. I figure she'd be a " Mattress Actress" by now. 

-Was told recently that our next trip would not be to Europe/England, Scotland like I had hoped,  apparently, I need to plan on a trip to Shanghai. The New "Regime" is planning a trip.  The way things are going....Maybe not?

-Stock market is down -800 before opening trading. 

- If you've not, go to the polls. It is Election Day...... 

- Got a few ugly messages about my blog on Iran yesterday. You just can't make everyone happy. 

 

Wars and Rumors of Wars.....

 And ye shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 

Matthew 24:6- Geneva 1599 Bible

The 1599 Geneva Bible was the one purported carried by the Pilgrims on the Mayflower... 

- I don't know if I will be talking about " The War" on a regular basis, or just this once.  

Yesterday, I had to stop watching......Just too much..... 

Let's talk a little about what is going on.

The British press is talking about "several" US jets crashing in Kuwait. They even have one distressed in a video.  

The British are even taking about evacuating 90,000-100,000 of their citizens from the Gulf Region. Should be interesting unless they call a cease fire to stop Iran, there will be drones and missiles shot at the British Air Force planes.  ( There are no plans as of yet for US evacuations)

The are rumors Iran has been offered a deal , but has turned it down. ABC News is saying the Iranians are saying, " No Negotiation."

As reported yesterday, 3 US Troops were killed, 5 badly injured. There will be more reports like this in the coming days, sadly. ( Iran is claiming 500+ US killed......)

There are some US Navy ships in the Persian Gulf, and they may not be able to get out.  

A British base was attacked by drone on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean.  If they can get to Cyprus, there are other parts of Europe they probably can reach. 

The Israeli Army/Air Force has opened a second front against Hezbollah in Lebanon.  

The Saudi Aramco refinery has been hit by a suicide drone. 

As of 4am CT, the price of West Texas Intermediate( WTI) Oil is up 8%, about plus $5. And is rising.  Brent Sea Oil is at $80 a barrel. 

Also at 4am CT, the Dow has dropped -600 on stock futures. 

Gold is at $5400 at ounce. 

 ( Going to watch Tom Keen on Bloomberg Radio live stream at 6am to see what he says.)

I may write on this as it continues. I really want to write on economics right now, and am working on another Buna School blog.( Buna School blogs are sometimes difficult to write.) 

 

 

 

 

 

Iran

 You knew it was coming. Too much firepower in one place. 

I woke up at 1AM and saw what was going on, and Fred and I have been watching this mess. He gave up about 5 minutes ago and went and got in his box. I am thinking about doing the same. 

Remember, there will be a fog of war.  

Don't believe any media at first, and even then, question. 

If you can, watch what is streaming on YouTube. They are generally reporting news before our traditional media.  

Expect the unexpected. 

Do research. 

Trust nothing either side says.  

Getting the H*ll Outta Buna? Jasper, Newton, Hardin, Jefferson, Orange Counties? I B^tch and Moan, Other "Stories?"

 "If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village she must seek them abroad"

-Jane Austen( Northanger Abbey)

Be careful, I will start quoting Tennyson and not stop.....

I have been amazed over the last week of the number of people who are looking to leave this area. Not only Jasper County and Buna, but maybe move someplace and start over with their kids. 

Not only move to say a Houston or a Dallas-Fort Worth, but perhaps Tennessee, or in the case of a couple, to the North.  

I know, I already have a " colony" of former students who have chunked it for whatever reasons, living down here in this area, and have moved to Maine. I can understand why, I quite enjoyed my time in Maine.  

Many, hell most are upset with schools and well, they are looking for something else. 

There are more than you think who just want something different. 

I know, there are more Americans just leaving the country. I am not going to be shocked if my child winds up permanently at some point in Asia. I seriously expect my grandkids ( if I have any) will grow up overseas. 

And after my fit on AI in yesterday's blog, I am thinking large numbers of people moving just to find work is going to become a real thing. ( I wonder if it'll rival Dust Bowl days?)

- End the damn Texas Senate race in our area. I hate both of you at this point. Both of you are lying in my book. Literally spending millions of dollars, for a job that pays $7,200 a year/ And only work 140 days every 2 years. What are the rich wanting these two to do once they reach Austin? 

Speaking of Texas Senate, about to throw a fit next week in a blog......

-  In economics

Cash App is laying off 4,000

Papa John's Pizza is closing 300 stores. 

Stellantis, the company that owns Dodge, Chrysler, Ram, Jeep lost $ 26.300.000.000 in 2025. They are hoping that V-8 engines and Jeeps will save them. The price of a Wrangler scares me away alone....And I can just about see me in a V-8 Challenger. Yep, 145 mph on the Texla Road was " All she wrote." 

Had someone ask  me " Why the economy has not crashed totally yet?" Let me know if you want me to write on it. 

-Speaking of poor economics, Google searches on " Van Life" have skyrocketed. 

- On a personal interest.  

Yesterday, the British held what is called a " By-Election" to replace a Member of Parliament who has either resigned, died, etc..... 

It was held in a district in Manchester. And, to everyone's surprise, the Green Party candidate wins. Pollsters had predicted the Reform Party candidate to win and they came in a distant second. 

( Reform is a new party trying to replace the old Tory/Conservative Party, in the past, it would be best associated with Churchill. The Tories)

The Green, well, now MP, got into politics because she was, and still is against " Dog Racing."  

I need to write on British Politics just for one in coming days. 

- The Ambassador to Israel is telling staff members if they want to leave the country, to " Do so today."   ( How close are we now to a war with Iran?)

Again, thank you for reading the blog, this is my last blog I plan to write for a few days. ( Now watch something big happen either in Jasper County, the school, or nationally)  

As always, you have information, send me the particulars and I will do research and possibly ( probably) will write on it. 

And as always, everything is confidential.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe I Shouldn't Give a Good D*mn

 "It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."

-Lewis Carroll

Using all this time from those Victorian England History classes I wound up in as a graduate and undergraduate student in university....And using a quote Alice made in " Alice in Wonderland."

I went down the AI rabbit hole this morning....

And I scared the absolute shit out of myself. 

And the thing is, I have two kids, son, daughter in law right in the middle of AI and neither see the ramifications from it( Reid has a master's in it from UT-Austin , April, AKA YU Zhou has a serious master's from Carnegie-Mellon, both in AI.).  ethically, socially, economically.....Hell, what is it going to do to our ideas on faith?  ( Read a doctrinal piece earlier this week that was talking about the massive changes in all churches in the next 5-10 years, and it ain't good.)

What is this going to be like in 5-10 years? 

Heck, what will the world be like by the end of 2026?

How many people are going to be displaced by AI, either forced to move, or just cannot find a job? 

And don't say go into the "trades?" How long before they become saturated?  Too many plumbers? Price goes down, can you make a living when you have to compete with 135 other plumbing companies? 

Already I can see a collapse of the school system in not only Texas, but America. Too many standardized exams, too much I do not give a good damn by a lot of people within the schools, both working for the school, or attending. 

The damn government is behind on this, and don't say the Republicans or the Democrats will save us.  Both are either in the pockets of corporations with an agenda of AI, and in truth, only care about us and our vote come November of an even number year. If the congress or whatever government agency knows what is coming, they are not talking about it. And are probably afraid to do so. 

Will we be able to trust anything we now see? AI will be able to generate almost anything. 

Saw that the largest growing brothel in Germany, well, it's AI robots. ( I know, it's the damn Germans, and I am exposed as many of you know to the culture, and well, it is a bit different.) 

Was reading a report that the number of people laid off by AI is over 1,000,000 and is growing like mad. 

Heck, this morning, a journalist was  asking different AIs when the war with Iran will begin? All said within 2 weeks. 

The old Govteach is sort of glad the end is closer for me, and in 10 years, I'll be 78, which seems ancient I know, but with how much I took off the front end, it'll be a miracle I make it there, and to be honest, it might not be a bad thing....