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....  

 

Mexico, Iran, The Economy, Buna Schools.....

 I guess it is inevitable, a civil war of sorts in Mexico, all around the cartels. 

Elon Musk posted on " X" or Twitter or whatever you want to call it,  that the President of Mexico is linked to the cartels. She has threatened legal action, trouble is, it is Mexico, who knows what in the world is going on down there. 

I have not been to Mexico in years and years. I have no desire to go to Cancun, or Cozumel, or/and other resorts in Mexico. 

Economically, I wonder if this will ruin the resorts there forever?  

I know, that there were posts online that we need to vacation in Texas, trouble is, oldsters like myself have been everyplace in the state and well, I need to branch out. The only city I have not visited in this state is San Angelo.....And I ain't going there. 

- This morning I see that the US Air Force has now sent 12 F-22 Fighters to an Israeli Air Force base. 

The logistics for an attack on Iran are there.  There are two carrier groups on station in the area. The Ford and the Lincoln. 

From the USNI News.  

"In addition to the naval buildup, the U.S. is also amassing dozens of fighter jets and other aircraft in the Middle East, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine.

The 48th Fighter Wing from Royal Air Force Lakenheath sent F-35s with aerial refueling tankers to the Middle East on Feb. 16, joining the 12 F-35As from the 158th Fighter Wing with the Vermont Air National Guard.

Multiple P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and an RC-135 Rivet Joint signal intelligence aircraft have been spotted in the area with another RC-135 headed to Greek island Crete, according to the magazine.

The U.S. already has multiple F-35 squadrons in the Middle East, in addition to F-15Es, F-16s and A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. More aircraft are likely on the way to the region, according to the magazine".

Logistics like this don't happen often. 

The question is, will we strike Iran? 

I know the Iranians have received support, especially technical and radar from both Russia and China in the last 6 months.  China has even sent anti-ship missiles to the Iranians. 

Not going to lie, I hope cooler heads prevail in the Near East. I hope for no war.  

- Was told by someone in the know that in Las Vegas, at least 50,000 people in the Casino, Hotel, Food industry have been laid off. No one is going to Vegas and to be honest, I have never been to Nevada. I am not a gambler. People have just stopped going to Vegas on vacation. It's too expensive and a lot of people do not have the extra money to gamble. 

On that note, both Fanduel and Draftkings are both looking to lay-off people. No money to gamble is the cause. 

There has been 16,000 technology lay-offs in February alone.   

And lay-offs in companies like Maytag, Rovers North( Vermont company, I used to think I wanted a Rover II, IIA or III) and Jelly Belly candy.  

Wendy's restaurants are closing several hundred store across America. I can't tell you the last time I had Wendy's. I think Dave Thomas was still alive. ( Dave founded Wendy's FYI) 

I heard an economist say that there are more homes for sale, than people that can afford to buy them right now. ( We are still in an area where homes are somewhat affordable compared to other part of America. Look at major cities here in Texas for example.)

- Finally Buna Schools. 

I am shocked at the messaging I have received over the last few blogs I have written.  

People mad at me for saying negative about the district. 

People whose experience is not so positive.  

Like I said, I am shocked at the people I taught at Buna, their parents went to Buna, their grandparents went to Buna, and in some cases, their great-grandparents went to Buna....And they are looking to move, or get their kid in Evadale or LCM or even Deweyville to get away from Buna Schools. Many are looking at homeschool. 

I had a former student I taught at Buna High write and ask this...."What happened since I graduated?" " Other than some test taking, my kid knows nothing." as someone wrote in my comments they reiterated, I am teaching my kids math and to a certain extent, grammar and reading. " " I may as well homeschool."  

Again, let me remind you, you don't like the blog, don't read it.  

 

 

 

 

 

  

Buna's Running Out of Kids?????

 “Isn’t it funny that day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different.” 

-C.S. Lewis

So, for some reason, my news feed this morning was full of stories about America running out of kids. 

In Vermont, the school system is in a panic there are so few kids being born in that state, heck, people with kids are not moving there. Just no real job opportunities. 

This morning, the British Broadcasting Corporation's ( BBC) topic was called " America's Teenage Problem." " America is Running out of Teenagers."  As it was subtitled. 

Already Buna High School is the smallest school population wise in their 3A Division I football district. 

As I was told by someone in the know in the community, "people with kids are not moving here." 

And then, so many people in Buna ISD district are wanting to move their kids out of the community.  

(Not kidding, I hear from people in Buna community several times weekly, wanting to know where they can send their kids?)

I know in this state, there are already bigger school districts in the State of Texas closing down schools. This is especially true in the Austin area districts. While Austin is quite " full" the great move there has slowed considerably.  ( I've not stopped in Austin in I know close to 15-17 years. And when we go to the Hill Country, make sure we pass somehow around the state capital.)  Heck, the schools in Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth see it coming. We are going through a great draw-down of the number of students in Texas. 

Most younger folks, are just not having kids like they once did, and part of that is economics. 

A lot of young folks are having a difficult enough time feeding themselves, much less a child. 

At some point the Buna ISD is going to push another bond......Just something to think about, but facilities that might be needed now, will they actually be needed in 5-10 years? 

And all these people, who I have not a clue what the cornbread feck they actually do, they certainly ain't teaching math, science, history,( gubmint/economics) English or some sort of vocational training....  Are they going to be needed when there are fewer kids? 

How many teachers are going to be needed in the future or is this like some sort of FDR " work's project" make people dependent upon the school district for jobs? 

I know, I am being ugly this morning....

Just something to consider for the future folks.....  

 

 

Method to this Madness?

 Yesterday's blog was, well, I debated even writing about the mistake made on the Buna ISD post on Facebook. 

I remember when Market Basket in their attempt to get those who practice Lent to buy their goods, spelling it " Lint" for their seafood specials in a weekly circular. 

Lord knows, I have made mistakes. 

But I have gotten more feedback on yesterday's blog. ( Sunday's)

Again, I have no clue what people will read, and what they want to read. Unless there is some breaking news, or a wild story coming out, it is a literal crap-shoot on what gets read on the blog.  

And yesterday's blog got huge reads.  

Then again, I got this jewel of a message that pretty much summed up some of the people who live in the Buna ISD's feelings? 

" Mr. Thomas, do you really understand how many dollars some of us are paying to the Buna ISD in Property Taxes every year?  And we cannot do any better? " 

They go on in their message.....

" And many of us, for whatever reason can't complain, but you can......" " I can't even like your blogs on Facebook."  

So, we plug on, even when it is often, in my mind, well, it's time to do something else.