Wars and Rumors of Wars

 So, if the last day since the President of Russia threatened to nuke the West and the President of Belarus ( Russia's biggest ally) has threatened World War 3, I have had a few people ask what is the chance Russia uses its nuclear weapons.

You never know.

Right now the war is not going well for Russia. Desperate times call for desperate measures. 

Even the people in Moscow and St. Petersburg or not thrilled with the war and they ( the Russian people) ran on the banks this morning after the money system in Russia was cut off from most of the world. So far, 6,000 Russians have been arrested for protesting. 

So far, in the economic circle this morning, Russia closed their stock market, the Russian Ruble, their money system is $1 dollar gets you ₽103 rubles this morning. It was $1 dollar gets you ₽25. Their money is becoming worthless. ( Had to look up how to make ruble sign)

That said, oil has gone up $4.25 this morning a barrel on West Texas crude. Not good in this inflation period we are in right now. 

I am more worried about China invading Taiwan.....Really worried. 

My advice?

Don't panic, most of this stuff you've got no control of anyway. 

Go to work, love your kids, hug your spouse, live your life like normal. 

If you're a person who like me believes in a supernatural force, pray, pray hard.....But then, you should already been doing so.....But better late than never....

And it Goes Nuts

 I own a number of you returned messages, e-mails, phone calls. 

Sorry, but every now and again, it goes nuts here. And there's no rhyme nor reason why it does. 

I generally contact my nephew out in Lubbock at Tech first,  and I am behind returning his phone call. 

I've had a couple of people approach me about weddings, and a few on the schedule. I generally can squeeze you in, whenever. 

So, if I owe you a message or call, give me time, it's coming....

War- And Why You Might Give a Damn

 You knew it was coming, and it did....Russian invaded the Ukraine this morning. Already Fox Business was reporting dozens killed at the airport in Kiev. ( Ukraine's capital)

So why should we give a damn here in East Texas. I am sure many of you are saying " I don't care about them people."

Well, beside the humanitarian toll......Prices are going to go up. 

I am writing this before the opening bell on the stock market and the Dow Jones Futures are down -800 points, NASDAQ down -400.

Oil is up on Brent Sea Crude to $104. West Texas Intermediate is up to almost $100 a barrel. ( This is serious, you may want to fill up you car this AM before the prices go up.)

Corn, wheat, lumber, soybeans, all the futures on food stuffs are going up. You've got to remember, the Ukraine is the "Breadbasket" of that portion of the world. People will start paying more to get Kansas wheat, Australian wheat.....This is no longer a local USA only economy. It is global. And if it wasn't, well, most of our industries would go broke. 

You think inflation on stuff is bad now.....Just wait. 

( I have no real reports on what is going on concerning the war. It's too early to say what is going on the old " Fog of War..")

Well....Either I Avoided Hell....Or I Am Going Straight to Hell....

 I toyed with the idea of a teaching position at a private school over the last few weeks.....They even asked for an resume and were wanting to speak to me before I came to my senses.....

When I sent in the resume, I knew they were going to want to talk to me, after I took a look at what all I had done in the past.....And sure enough, they did....

I think what made it a " big no" in my book was two things.

One, they pretty much have their own curriculum.

Sorry, I've written my own curriculum for 30+ years. The pablum you are wanting taught is just that, pablum or some sort of  propaganda that doesn't have both sides of the story and isn't made to make you question everything and everyone. Especially political leaders. All sides, both sides.....It's why I told stories about the leadership that sometimes wasn't necessarily in a positive light. 

And second, they had a hard-line stance on gays.

Sorry, I have a number of friends who are in the LGBT community.  

I've been known to have lunch with couples before who are just that, people of the same sex who are significant others. And will continue to do so. 

As I have said before, gay folks are just hooked-up that way. And the stance taking by the institution was this was worse than most other "sins." 

God forbid a church discusses idolatry, covetousness, or anything else that would bring down the U.S. Economy.  And revilers? Come on man, that's everyone in this nation, including preachers, politicians.....Heck, we won't listen twice to a politician unless they "bad-mouth" people on a national or state level.

Look, I marry folks who are atheists. I marry folks of all types. I would not  dream of stopping who you love. 

I could just about imagine them finding out I've been to an inter-religious meeting in which I was the only Christian. 

I could just about imagine what they'd say if they knew some of my  good friends are Mormon....Catholic....Muslim....Buddhist....That my daughter-in-law has no religion.( More and more she is asking for prayers)...And I love all these people dearly.

Oh well, I was going to be materialistic and save the money so we could spend 3-4 months in Scotland/England because you can spend 6 months in the UK with no Visa. 

Look, as I have said my philosophy is " I support my gay neighbors, who protect their marijuana plants, with M-14 assault rifles. " 

I wouldn't be happy at that school.....I really don't need the money. And besides, I love my non-paying gig at KJAS Thursday evenings. ( It's why I've been asking you to subscribe to out channel on YouTube.....I'm all in baby!)

Okay Ladies, Again....

 So, I ran into a former student the past few days and referred to her as her maiden name. 

Sorry, Couldn't remember her Christian name and I did not know her married name. It was husband number two. 

Husband number two was with her......And he just about lost it because I referred to her by her maiden name. He started to act so outraged, I felt for my pistol. I thought he was going to hit me. He did settle down when he realized I was reaching and had my hand on my CCW. ( He was so outrage, I was going to have to pull and shoot. It was scary.) 

Seriously, guys are you that threaten by someone calling your spouse by their maiden name? 

I went to my wife's 40th high school reunion, and everyone called her by her maiden name, " Britain." 

I did not bat an eye. I did not expect these people to know me....Nor know her by any other name....Even if they knew, I did not care.( Some of her oldest friends called her "Thomas.") And two of the boys who called her by her maiden name were old boyfriends.

She's not associated with them in years. One even introduced us to his husband. ( Who I thought was funny as heck. Both old boyfriend and husband.) 

I don't know. 

I don't have control, nor would I want to have control over who you marry, but it makes me wonder what the girl's life is like at home, if hubby is getting upset over basically nothing. 

Sorry ladies, I may call you by your maiden name. I'm not going to learn your married name unless I associate with you, or know your husband.  

And even then, I may mess up....

Please People, I Implore You

 I am begging you people not to do this.....

This morning the phone rang at 6:20AM....and the exchange number said, 994....apparently, someone still has a land line in Buna and of course, I thought the worst. 

No, it was someone who " Knew I was up." And was all hopped up about their church and wanted to vent for the next 80 minutes about what was going on at their Baptist Church. 

Please, on the weekend, if you have my number, don't call before 9AM.

1. Before then, you'll scare me to death. I'll think the worst. 

2. Mrs. Thomas sleeps in on Saturdays. She is still employed for at least the next few months.

 Luckily, she did not wake up, I answered fast enough for her not to get up. 

That said, looks like we need to do more religion shows....

Cuss Porch Time?

 I know people are hesitant about calling in to the radio show. I understand it. 

I know people are scared that people might recognize their voice. ( Probably not in reality.) 

I had had three phone calls on the way home from KJAS all three had listened to the show and wanted to add their 2¢ in to what they heard. Two 'wanted' to call in, but were afraid to do so. 

Look, if I can get on a radio and talk, anyone can....( I better hush, I had 15 hours of college speech.) 

Seriously, feel free to call us, I'm not taking you to the cuss porch. 

And one of the calls also spoke about the 'Outlaw Pastor' situation. No, I'm not starting a church, I'll marry you, I'll pray hard for you, but I can just about imagine what kind of an outlaw outfit I'd be running church-wise. It ain't going to happen.....

BTW- Thank you for listening to the show.

Maus

 So, I see that schools are starting to ban books. 

Hell, I was shocked in 1994 when I found that Buna High's library had not one just one, but two copies of Jack Reed's " Ten Days that Shook the World."( Both disappeared while I was there, not banned " borrowed" and never returned. 

Maus is a cartoon book on the Holocaust, in which the Jews are portrayed as mice, the Nazis as cats, Americans as dogs.....Had a kid bring a copy back in the 1980s to an honors history class and we discussed in class.

A school district in Tennessee has banned the book because it uses the words god damn and bitch.( Heard worse walking down the hallway of a high school) And there is "animal nudity." Hell, go to the barnyard and you can see all sort of animal "dangling parts."    

Then, there is a list of 50 books being banned by school districts in Texas. Some concerning race, but most concerning sexuality.

Now, I don't know about having them in a junior high or elementary library, but in high school? High school is more mature than you know. 

Look, I knew with 95% certainty if you were gay. Hell, I had a boy flirt with me on a regular basis at Buna. ( Apparently he was into "bears." Look it up.) 

Hell, I had trans kids. Knew they were. Had girls tougher and more masculine than most boys. 

And don't tell me it's a learned sexual activity. I am telling you, it's just like being left handed or having blue eyes. 

But banning books, hell, when I was told I couldn't do something, it was the first thing I wanted to do. Tell me I can't read this? Hell, I am going to find a copy and read it. ( And afterwards I would say, " What's the fuss?)