What Could Have Been Buna...And Dammit Llano, What Are You Thinking?

 I attneded graduation at Llano High this past Friday evening. 

Was held in their auditorium. Yes, a ISD the size of Buna had an auditorium. UIL One Act Play approved auditorium. 

Back with the bond was approved for Buna to build the new " Activity Center" AKA the Gym, an auditorium was part of the package. If you look at the stage, it was built with an auditorium to be built behind the now "Gym." UIL One-Act Play approved auditorium. 

I am have always wondered why people have not questioned why it was not built? The rumor is the they wanted to play the basketball season stopping the construction of the auditorium. If so, what happened to the funding for that auditorium? 

The Llano auditorium, which is next door to the gym, was packed. It holds about 1000. 

Nice, cool, avoided the rain auditorium. 

The Llano ceremony was not without flaws. 

They had no band and "piped in" Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance for the graduates to walk down the aisles to the stage......And there was no National Anthem,  nor school song. ( By the way, Pomp and Circumstance is English in nature, became famous as it was used in the coronation of Edward VII  in 1902.)

And then, the faculty wore robes and hoods.....Which is fine, and I was sitting between two people with serious academic credentials Including a lawyer and a college lecturer, and all three of us threw a fit at the hood.

The hood is the piece of cloth worn around your neck. The colors of the hood signify your degree, and the the two school colors of the university/college you attended. ( Example. I would wear a white chevron signifying I was a history major and then the rest of the hood would be red and white showing I was a Lamar grad.....Mr. Taucer's would have a gold chevron signifying he was a biology major with red and white meaning he attended Lamar.....Mrs. Stanley would have a hood for her master's with a lemon yellow chevron for library science and then orange and white meaning she attended Sam Houston....)

The hoods at Llano were the same, a light blue chevron for education ( I am sure not all teachers were education majors) and then, the colors of Llano, Burnt orange and black. ( Not all the teachers are Llano alumni.And Llano certainly doesn't grant college degrees.) It was horrible. It was a lie. Sorry, but if I would have been required to wear a gown ( I have a minister's Black Geneva gown) and bought my own hood. 

Buna-

You held the graduation outside the last 2 years. I am sure " Covid" this year was the excuse, but years ago when I was still a senior sponsor, the kids wanted to move the graduation from the " Activity Center" back to the football field, I was sent an ugly message from the Supt. of Schools at the time to " Stop it." 

We've now gone full circle. The graduation is back on the field where, " People can see." ( Part of the selling point of the " Activity Center Bond" was we could hold graduation and the prom there. And both graduation and the prom both suck there. The prom saying " The kids won't get into trouble in Beaumont." No, they wait until after the prom, just like in Beaumont to get into trouble. ) ( It is sort of like giving the seniors money at Project Graduation. My nephew came in Saturday morning telling how much beer the kids could buy from the money they were given.)

Now, both graduations were short. About an hour, and the salutatorian wore combat boots with her dress( The make-up would have melted off Tandy's face.) But it got done.

I don't know, if you're going to hold the graduation outside again, it might be time for a new football field. Heck, make it turf. Make provisions for soccer on the turf. ( It is coming) Heck, I'll come coach soccer. I understand it now. 

But graduation back on the field? You knew it was coming again at some point.

 

Prayer List

 I got to looking at my prayer list this morning. It has so many adds and scratch outs, I can't tell who is on it and who has asked to be taken off. 

Now some of you have tenure and are permanent members of the list. 

Others of you, well, I am not sure if you want to be on, or taken off.  

So, if you want to be on the list, either comment below or send me a private message-

The Sign Says...."It's Free!!!"

 Yes, with the exclamation points. 

So, I was in Bridge City at my doctor's getting my blood drawn, and on the way home a sign advertising for some sort of Youth "Gathering" said that they were giving everyone " Free Bible."

I don't know, and I am coming from a totally different view here, but at this point isn't their a Bible sitting around the house someplace at everyone's house, even if you don't go, don't believe, don't whatever? 

I have so many versions of the Bible, everything to a "Good News for the Modern Man" a paraphrased version of the Bible, to a 1599 Geneva Bible. (I think I have about 30 different versions. )

Heck, I have taught so many different kids of faiths, I think I have most of their sacred texts.Given to me...Including about 5 Books of Mormon. ( And yes LDS kids, I've read it, I even had a religion club after school at a district near Houston, I got into bad trouble because someone 'told' and said I was trying to convert people. Twin Mormon girls, a Lutheran boy, and Hindu girl went to the principal and took up for me, all "Saying, we just discuss, it's the best part of the school day.")

And I understand the reasoning behind the free Bible, along with the free hot dogs...

But I am curious how many people actually do not  have a Bible? ( Or any other religious text)

You can answer in the comments, or send me a message, or not.

 

You Know, P*ssy Will Drive a Man Crazy

 Sorry ladies, it will.

I was a young man once and I spent more time than I should have chasing girls....Like I ever caught one.

I am lucky to have found a woman would loves me...Seriously. 

So Prince Harry of England is off the chain. 

In the last few days he has bad mouthed the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 

Prince Harry has just declared the First Amendment to be 'bonkers.'

'If the freedom of speech is taken away,' said America's first president George Washington, 'then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.'

His view was shared by Thomas Jefferson, a fellow Founding Father and America's third president, who declared: 'Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.'

I don't know what has happened to Harry. I really don't. Maybe his ass need to go back to England?

Harry professes to care about free speech, but like with so many of his statements, his actions suggest the complete opposite.

Harry is a guest here. Shut the hell up. 

All of this is because the press is free to tell the truth about him....and his missus. 

Seriously. 

 

 

Lesson-History/Politics This AM

 So, the eternal Israeli vs. Palestinian conflict erupted again this week...Let's look at a no BS look at what is going on. 

I am sure I will upset people on both sides. 

The issues of today started about 100 years ago.

After the Ottoman Empire was defeated after World War 1,  the British took control of the area known as Palestine. A strip of land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. 

In 1918, the area had a Muslim majority and a Jewish minority. The British were given the task to set up a "National Home" for the Jewish people in Palestine. But both the Jews and Arabs claimed Palestine as their homeland. 

From 1920 to the 1940s, many Jewish people fled Europe, mostly Germany and immigrated to Palestine. That incited the Arab population. Violence between the Jews, Arabs and against the British escalated. 

In 1947 the UN voted to split Palestine between the Jewish and Arabic population into separate states.. 

Jerusalem, a holy land for both would become an "International City."

Jewish leaders embraced the plan, the Arab leaders did not. 

In 1948, the British realized they could not solve the Palestinian problem, so they left. 

The Jewish leaders then declared the Jewish State of Israel.  This received the backing of US President Harry Truman, and this did not go well with the Arab community, with Arab nations of Egypt and Jordan joining a fight against the Jewish state. This was the start of the present Jewish-Arab conflict. 

Israel controlled most of the land with Jordan controlling the West Bank, and Egypt controlling Gaza. Jerusalem was divided between the Israelis and Arabs. 

Fast forward to June, 1967. This was the 6 Day War. Israel again Egypt, Jordan and Syria. After the war, Israel controlled the West Bank, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula and all of Jerusalem. 

At this point in time, most of the Arabs in Palestine live in either Gaza or the West Bank. And Israel has pulled-out of the Sinai, and Gaza, even though the UN considers Gaza as still occupied territory.

In the last 50 years 600,000 Jews have moved into Jerusalem, many into East Jerusalem which Palestine considers as their future capital. 

In these last 50 years, there have been numerous attempts by American President to negotiate peace in Palestine, including Carter, Clinton, Trump.  In the 80s, a Two-State "solution" was negotiated. Neither side trusted one another. 

By 2000, violence erupted, has flared from time to time since then. 

In 2007, Gaza has been controlled by a radical militant group called Hamas. And they have battle Israel several times. 

Arabs say they are being suffering because of Israeli restrictions. Israelis say they are only defending themselves. 

Things really kicked off in mid-April during the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan. There were daily violent clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli Police. And then there were forced evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem. 

Hamas in Gaza started shooting hundreds of rockets into Israel. Israel responded by bombing Hamas positions in Gaza.   

One of the major causes of this conflict is over who controls Jerusalem. 

And until deep seeded mistrust and hated is settled this will go on...Oh, there will probably be a cease fire at some people, but down the road, this will start again.....I Would not be shocked if this breaks into a civil war within Israel. There is still a large Arab population in Israel. 20% or 1.8 million is Arab. 

Thus endth the lesson-

 

Damn Letter

 So, my nephew is graduating  from Llano High School later this month. LHS has a tradition of family and friends writing letters to the graduate. 

I have spent 2 damn days on this letter. 

2 days. 

I throw out a blog, misspelling, grammatical mistakes in about 10 minutes. 

I called my mother who is also writing a letter to see how she is coming along......She has worked on hers for two days now.....Said " Writing my Master's Thesis was easier." 

I am so glad Tandy Boyd and I did not come up with the idea to have family/friends write letters....

Many of you would be cussing us today....Still.....

Outta Control...Kirbyville ISD

 It seems there was a walk-out by students at Kirbyville HS over a "Personnel Matter" at the high school. 

It lasted about half an hour. 

Police were involved to keep the students safe as they marched according to Kirbyville Police Chief Paul Brister.

There are no criminal accusations against the principal, Holli Farias, Brister said adding that it is an internal school district matter.

If I am not wrong Faris was at Buna ISD when I was there.  She observed my class and made the remark, " She couldn't do what I did." 

Very few people could. I was an old salty 'hand' at that point. I believed in teaching seniors as adults, as they were 9 months from adulthood. And had no fear of using some "colorful" language when I spoke to them. 

Man, it seems like KISD has more problems than a ....Broke dick bull.....

 

Just a Friendly Reminder

 I had a principal in the Houston who said that when we had a faculty meeting after school. Nothing like the meetings David, or Jerry, or Don held. Lasted forever......."Uncle" Tommy who taught US History across the hall from me and Floyd Scott the Senior English teacher would have a fit when he said" Just a friendly reminder." 

I was reminded this weekend with a couple there are rules I must follow when I marry you. 

They wanted to get married on Saturday, and the license they acquired from Orange County was gotten 24 hours before the wedding. 

In Texas you need a waiting period of 72 hours and the license is good for 90 days.  

Please, there are things in life I can fudge. I can't 'arrange' for you to graduate from my class without you passing, but I can't fudge a marriage license. 

Don't asking me to cheat here. I just can't.

 

Don't Think This Couldn't Happen to Your House

 So, I am minding my own business yesterday and find this in the Wall Street Journal.

It seem that there is a tiny retirement village near the SpaceX launching Pad in far South Texas. 

The village is Boca Chica Village and is, if you are looking on a map, 22 miles East of Brownsville. 

It seems that SpaceX is trying to buy most of these people out, saying they live too near a launching pad. 

Well, hell, they were there first. 

And they've been offered buyouts. And they are fairly generous buy outs. But, they are not life changing monies. 

The houses are valued at at $50,000, have been offered around $150,000 to buy out.....

The trouble is, unless you move into Deep East Texas or SE Texas, $150,000 no longer buys much in this state. 

You'd be hard pressed to buy in a small safe community, near the beach, for that amount of cash. 

I was shocked at the amount of commenters who thought the people should leave, pretty much at any cost because " SpaceX is good for the economy." And it would be safer for the people to leave, never mind SpaceX is having workers live in the homes they have already bought. 

And as one person said, " the SpaceX people act like they already own the place." No fooling, if I'd found them messing around my place they would have gotten a load of buckshot.

Hell, Elon Musk is the what the 2nd , 3rd richest man, he needs to come in and throw some serious money at the people in the village and trust me they'll leave.

I don't know, I know at some point we'll make that " final" move or at least I'll hope it will be the final one. But to be honest at this age, I dread moving. ( If it was up to me, we'd stay here. )

I am just hoping we get enough money it will be worth our while.

You Know, You May Need to Look at Homeschooling Your Kids

 So, the "got damn" Texas Legislature is about to pass a bill that would make teaching any sort of 'woke' culture including "Critical Race Theory' illegal to teach in high school "Gubmint" ( Or any other Social Studies) Class.

So, if a kid's asking me what it is in class, I can't explain what it is....Hell, I wouldn't dare for fear I would be accused of teaching it. 

The bill goes farther to included " House and Senate are quickly advancing bills that would restrict the discussion of current events and public policy in the classroom."

WHAT THE CORNBREAD FUCK?!? 

It seems the author of the bill wants teachers to teach...“traditional history, focusing on the ideas that make our country great and the story of how our country has risen to meet those ideals.”

So, a sanitized boring version of history, that we in America never did anything wrong. We didn't a have president screwing his slaves....We didn't have a president who snuck his mistresses into the White House. ( Not who you think)

And with this "Current Events restriction" it makes you wonder what the hell you can answer if questioned in class?

It always makes you wonder what will become of UIL Current Events? You know, several of you hold medals winning at Current Events coached by....Let's see....Me. 

You know, I have been a supporter of the Public School System all of my life, but you know, the older I get, the more I think I may try and homeschool my grandkids.....

Fuck the motherfuckin' legislature.

I Can't Keep Up

 Seriously, I cannot keep up....And to be honest, I am not going to even try. 

I no longer know who is married to whom, who is dating whom. 

So, if I ask about your " ex" don't get all bent out of shape like a person I was speaking to did at the store earlier last week.. 

I've been married for 40 years in August and I can't see a reason why anyone in their right mind would want to " start over." 

There's no one else I want to screw....seriously. And getting a divorce is often cause by you playing "slap and tickle" with someone you are not married to. 

I'm just saying here.

Billie Eilish

 I can't understand the 'buzz" around her. I seriously can't. 

I listened to some of her music and wanted to jump off a bridge. It is awful for this 63, almost 64 year old's point of view. 

And now there is a buzz around her posing in her underwear for Vogue. 

It's underwear your grandma would wear in the 1940's. 

Here is a link with the underwear. https://www.showbiz411.com/2021/05/02/billie-eilish-goes-gaga-as-femme-fatale-on-british-vogue-cover-but-new-single-is-a-sales-dud

Sorry Billie, you do nothing for me. You look bored as hell. 

As the old saying goes, " I wouldn't fuck her with your dick." 

Sorry, but music, DJ's, whatever suck in 2021. 

Oh, every once in a while "your" music has an artist that is pretty good, but for the most part, it is karaoke music they are trying to tell you that is good.  

 

 

 

"Yeah, Teachers Suck"

 I saw this in a comment on a so-called news site. 

It seems that one of the commenters was upset that the local high school government teacher included a lesson on Communism, Marxism in their lesson. 

Many agreed saying that " Including the lesson on Communism must mean they are a Marxist." 

Hell, I covered Communism in the lesson on " Isms." Along with Fascism,( Which the commenters seemed to be okay with)   Socialism, Democrat-ism, Republicanism, Monarchism......etc, etc.....

And I didn't say one was better than the next. 

Never. 

And the next semester I taught a pretty capitalism heavy class, economics.

Hell, the word Marxist has come to mean anything some else disagrees with. Never mind the person they disagree with is often a Capitalist. 

While the commenters all said, we should "Just present the material." We should say that "Capitalism is superior to all others." 

Huh? What happened to just " Present the material?" 

You know, I wonder if I could teach today because I made both sides of the political spectrum in this nation look bad, especially presidents. 

You know, I literally do not know what people want. 

I have people who think that somehow I am a wild eyed liberal from the blog. 

I have people who think I am a reactionary conservative, also from the blog.  

The older I get, the more I wonder who the hell is going to teach school? 

You may think so, but not everyone in the community feels the same way you do either politically.....or concerning religion. ( And that disturbed me at Buna more than anything. Not everyone is Baptist, or Pentecostal or even Methodist, Mormon, CofC, or Catholic.....You would be amazed at how many are agnostic or atheist. But you acted like people were all Christian. Whether they wanted to be or not. And religion was crammed down non-Christian's throats. It was shocking. )

 I don't know, I keep waiting, someday this mess is going to bust wide-open and I wonder what will become of us?