Men, This Blog is for You

 And I know there will be women read it because it is addressed to men.....

I am very close to my two nephews. And worry about them ,a great deal.  

One nephew is still living in Lubbock. The Panhandle is his world now. And I look for him to be in that part of the state for a while, if not the rest of his life. 

Near Lubbock is where they are having the measles outbreak. And say what you want, it is because people are not vaccinating their kids. And I am not going to argue with you about vaccines or not. I am just going to tell you my personal experience. 

I was born before there were vaccine for measles. 

And in the late 1950s, I had the measles. And thought I was them immune, or at least my parents thought I was. 

Trouble was I had a Gamma globulin shot about a week before I was diagnosed with the measles. So, I had a light case of the illness. Gamma globulin injections are usually given in an attempt to temporarily boost a patient's immunity against disease.

That said, my doctor thought I would be immune to the illness. 

A number of years later, I get the measles. 

I mean I got a case of the measles. It may have been the sickest I have ever been. 

I contracted it right as school let out for the Summer Break, and I missed a large chunk of my Little League season. ( And my LL Team was the only one not named after a Major League Baseball team, the Grey Sox...Today, it'd be pretty cool, but then, we were the pariah. )

I was bed-ridden. Had a rash all over my body. A very high fever. My eyes were effected, and I could not watch TV. I had a cough and if I had contracted it today, my lungs were so bad off, I would have been hospitalized and placed on oxygen. But it was a different era. 

I was so sick, and this happens, even though it is more with mumps, I had orchitis. It is rare.

Orchitis, is a swelling of the testicles. Generally both, but I was lucky and it only was in one. If you get it, it generally means, if you have gone through puberty, sterility. And at least one of my "boys" works. 

It felt like someone had kicked hell out of my 'boys.' It was so painful....

Measles can kill you, as one child in West Texas has died from the illness. A number of others are in the hospital. And generally this is from respiratory troubles, not because the kids need to be isolated. You can isolate at home. 

130 kids in West Texas have the illness. And now, schoolkids in New Jersey are being diagnosed with measles. 

Many times there are lingering problems from measles. Lung troubles, the high fever often causing other damage including to the brain, and  kidneys. 

I have a lingering problem from a high temp here many years later. If I were to tell you, you wouldn't believe it.

Folks, I know you're afraid of side effects from the vaccines, but until you have had the measles, you'd never understand. 

Bats at Buna ISD....Again.....

 The news media is reporting that Buna High School has bats once again within the building.....This, within the Math Wing of the school. 

From the East Texas Banner- Weds., Feb. 26.

"...They are isolated and contained to this area of the building only." "Beginning tomorrow, those classrooms are being sealed off, and students in those classes will be relocated to other parts of the building until the issue is resolved. Please know we are following all the appropriate steps to ensure our students are safe and doing our very best to remedy this continuing issue. I will keep you updated."             -Dr. Julie Motomura.

 Seriously now, if you are wanting to get rid of them, they are going to need to call in someone who can get rid of them once and forever. 

This is now 3 infestation of bats. 

Makes you wonder, it seriously does.....Why? And why have they not been done away with by now, and will this continue?

I know it is all well and good, and some of you are saying, "Well, it's just bats, leave them alone and they'll leave you alone, " or " Back in 1959 we had bat in the old school at XYZ and we never had any problems."  

And bats only bite when they are in a self-defense mode........Generally.....

Unless they are rabid and then, a bat will bite without provocation. And you don't know if these bats have rabies or not. 

Have a kid bitten by a bat, and talk about a legal problem.

It is maybe time Buna Schools does some serious research and bring in from wherever a company that can finally get rid of the bat problem. And it may cost some serious money....That business might be from out of state....I don't even want to know the cost......

But now 3? And I know the bats are just looking for nice warm spots....And perhaps in the warmer months this problem might subside, or not.....And what about NEXT winter?

But will this be an ongoing problem?  

( An old apparently existing problem for the new Supt. of Schools.....And will more bats be found?)

( The new blog on economics is more difficult than setting up Thegovteach blog originally. Things have changed, and I may need to use DukcDuckGo as a browser for the economics blog, and a different website....)

 

You Know, There Are Some "Different" Folks That Live Among You Good Folks in Buna

 And I say this, there are some different people I live among here in Lemonville. Example, my neighbors had a murder in their front yard shortly after we moved here, but you know, I wouldn't trade my neighbors for anything. 

As we say in East Texas, they're "good people." They just had a bad visitor one night. And there are stories I could tell concerning this event, but I don't want to embarrass people I am quite fond of....

All this said, I have gotten some of the nuttiest emails, PMs, etc since my Facebook was reinstated. 

I am shocked at the amount of people who hate the Pope and want to me write on him about how he either isn't a Christian, or from some Catholic readers of the blog, who think that Francis is not even Catholic. ( I don't know if they are Opus Dei which is Latin for 'Work of God' or just what?)  

I have had more people in the last 2-3 months, before I was excommunicated by Meta try and convert me to their for of Christianity. 

Pentecostals, Baptists, Catholics......And others. The only bunch that have not tried to convert me are the Mormons, and I think maybe it's because I ran with LDS kid when I was young and will always have a warm place in my heart for Mormons. I've always liked to talk LDS Theology with them. I think they're going to heaven whether you do or not....They also know I am not giving up caffeine. ( I am old enough to remember when Mormons didn't drink Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, or even Mountain Dew. )

There are people upset because I have Mormon friends. I don't think you know, I really like folks of the LDS faith. But I grew up with Mormons. 

There are people upset because I have atheist friends. 

And I think maybe it's because I will eat supper with anyone of any faith. 

THEN, there are the school people. 

I'm too hard on the school.... I'm not hard enough on the school. 

Why are you not talking about this concerning the school? Why ARE you talking about this concerning the ISD?

Then, I've been approached about perhaps teaching in some sort of private/parochial school  in South Jasper County. 

I've even been asked about starting, help start one.....If you really want my help, I would work as a consultant.....For a price....If you're going to start a business, and you want me to do stuff for 'nuthin' '?????

But generally..... Concerning going back into teaching....

Uh, no. 

Why?

1. I don't want to.

2. I'm retired. 

3. I'd say something to make either the church or the people running the school upset and I like my freedom to say whatever I want. 

4. The kids have changed since I retired. I could no long relate to them. 

In my next blog, I am going to drag up something from the past concerning Buna ISD, and I know there will be people who'll tell me " Let sleeping dogs lie" ( Old 14th Century English Proverb.) but I still wonder about it, and I 'Gots questions.' 

May write that blog today or tomorrow........I also have another economics blog coming and setting up a new blog designated for economics alone is harder than I remember. I may have to set one up using 'Duck, Duck,Go' as my browser.

 

 

 

 

The US Government is Going to Send ALL of us a $5000 Check?

 So yesterday, the Executive Branch said that with all the saving from the Dept. of Government Efficiency( DOGE) is saving us, we all might be getting $5000.

Now, I am not holding my breath. 

Why save this money, only to spend it by sending it out to the general populous?  Why not put it towards the National Debt?

Yeah sure, I'd love to get $5000 in the form of a check, or what the first stimulus was here at the Compound, during the COVID outbreak, a Visa " Gift Card."  

But in reality, how much did the "stimulus" cause inflation? ( Economists say around 10%....and it has not returned to normal. I think it is higher than 10%....)

If you are interested in economics, you need to watching the Uneducated Economist on YouTube. Simon Caron has no background, in economics, yet, he has read everything he can get his hands on concerning the subject, including the Federal Reserve( The Fed) minutes and actually watching the speeches from the Fed's Board of Governors. 

Simon has a background in the lumber industry and got interested in economics through the price fluctuation in the lumber industry. 

Lumber is often effected by interest rates, the economy than a lot of products. Thus his interest in economics. 

In today's vlog, Simon talks about what makes a good economy, not sending people money, what creates a middle class? 

Producers and savers. 

If we are sent a $5000 check, it will be spent like last time. On pleasurable wants. And of course all this money into the economy? Prices will increase. 

And to get a strong middle class, you need to produce. Trouble is we are in a global economy and have to compete against people who are willing to work 12-18 hour days, 7 days a week, and sleep in a box, on the ground for pennies on the dollar. 

Americans want to live in a house. Drive a Ford Expedition or Jeep Wagoneer. We can't compete with people sleeping on the ground. 

We literally don't have the man-power to compete with, nor willing to accept the wages they will in another country. 

What the US now produces are consumers. 

If the consumer can no longer go to their job, and get enough money to spend and keep the US economy going, well, then the US Government will have to force feed to money into us. They're taking future money, giving it to you, so the economy stays afloat. ( future money, yes, the government is borrowing on everything now, and so it is future money, yes, including Social Security is borrowed. I need to talk about LBJ taking money out of Social Security and spending it on  the war in Vietnam.)

The government will say, if they give us a $5000 gift card, they are trying to "support" the economy. In reality, they are trying to maintain it. Keep it from collapse. 

Now back to us receiving $5000.

I will believe it when I go out to the mailbox and there is a check from the US Treasury, or some sort of a Visa, Mastercard gift card worth $5000. 

Don't plan on it. A lot of things must happen before you see money, and even then, the ramifications, long term well, I don't think it is worth it. 

Do Not Think It Couldn't Happen In Buna ISD, Because it Could.....

 I know it seems like everything is okay, or perhaps it does not, but the economy is not very good folks. 

The following businesses have announced in recent days lay-offs

Chevron-9100 people

Estee Lauder-7000 people

Southwest Airlines-1700 people

J.Morgan Chase - 1000

Meta-3600

Blue Origin-1000( Bezo's Space Group)

Kohl's is closing 27 stores

And there are more businesses to come.  ( Heck, Singapore Airlines is stopping flights from Houston to Manchester, England, April 1st, our favorite way to go to England.....They're blaming a poor economy and no one flying from Houston to England)

And who knows how many government works will be laid off. You can say " Good" but these same folks will be competing for your job.  And how much will their lack of spending hurt the economy? And with their entering the economy, how much will they drive down salaries? Again, supply and demand. 

Already I know people who have put out hundreds of resumes, applications to get maybe, 2-3 interviews. Just interviews, not jobs.

 School economies are not good. Every day I read about schools making cuts in Texas. 

Northwest( Rich district near Ft. Worth) ISD- 101 teachers

Crystal City ISD-32

Leander ISD-200

Socorro ISD( El Paso) -300

I asked about some of the jobs that people hired by the Buna ISD? And do they receive Federal funding for that job? 

I could not tell them what they actually did, and that yes, I think the government is funding their job. If that funding is gone, that probably means their position is done.

And with Texas SB2, how much funding to schools will be cut? Less money, less teachers, staff. 

Don't be shocked folks if their are lay-offs at Buna Schools. Less funding, less employees. Hell, perhaps less extra-curricular activities. 

I know the Buna ISD Superintendent just took up the position this week, but she's got a "hard row to hoe" ahead...

( Not sure if that is appropriate to say in 2025, but I still use the phrase, but I am old... )

BTW- Someone asked if I listen to music while writing the blog, and the answer is "Yes".....Today? Marty Robbins and Conway Twitty.

Even Women Are Using This Stuff??????

 So, I am out of the loop. And to be honest I am glad I am. 

Couldn't tell you the Top 40 pop songs....Couldn't tell you a Hip-Hop artist past around 1995.....I couldn't tell you a Country artist of today that younger folks listen to. I'm still listening to George Jones, Merle Haggard and Marty Robbins. I still listen to Led Zeppelin at least once a week. 

So, I am not up with current trends that people are doing....

And it seems this includes something called......Zyn. 

This stuff is so new, my spell check is trying to change the spelling to " Sin." Maybe that is what it actually is?

Anyway, this is a non-tobacco nicotine pouch. It's supposed to be better for you than dripping.....It was developed in Sweden where they've been using non-tobacco nicotine in an oral form for years.

And it comes in all sort of flavors. Peppermint, wintergreen, coffee, citrus......about 10 flavours in total. 

Trouble is, mainlining nicotine, even without tobacco through your gums is never good. 

And now about half of the customers of this Zyn are females. So, we have for all practical purposes, women are now "dipping." ( Don't judge, I was a fan of Copenhagen in the 70s...And History majors that used oral tobacco was unheard of in the 70s...My friends smoked French or British cigarettes. )

So, I am asking.....How many women are actually using this stuff? Have you tried it? ( Male or female)

Sumofabitch I'm Feckin' Done.....

 Dammit, dammit, dammit....

And I cleaned the above up...

I gotta step up my game....

I got to quit letting English eccentrics/academics like Tim Wilson and Malcolm Guite be my guides to dress.  I got to quit looking a flashy ass in my dress. More and more, I am wearing bow-ties when I dress up, fancy tartans, and jackets that either scream " school/university" or broad stand out checks in almost, bright colors. ( What am I talking about, I had so much color on at my brother's swearing in as DA. I had so much color, I almost "glowed in the dark.")

I could have passed for an old school homosexual.....

I have got to dress more " bidness" as they say. 

The navy suit, the pinstripes, trouble is, I wear pinstripes with my navy. Hell, I three different navy suit with pinstripes. One suit, which I love makes me look like I am a backbench MP in the British House of Commons. Again, I am using British dress as my standard. 

So Kerry, Mr. Thomas, Govteach, what happened? What drove you to this lowly state? 

Bryant Long has posted his photos to Vegas this past weekend on Facebook. He looks like he just stepped off a Dassault Falcon 10X from Geneva, Switzerland. 

Trouble is, I literally "gots" no place to go......Other than a graduation at a fancy East Coast graduation I have to fly up for in May and a graduation later in May in the Hill Country, I got nothing else coming up. 

And in truth, I like not going anyplace. 

I don't know, I am 67, turning 68 this Summer. Maybe it's time to stop caring...Well, somewhat.....

Buna People Paying Attention? And Mr. Thomas is Proud He Didn't Cuss Some Folks Out......

 I shocked. 

Or maybe it was going to happen anyway? 

Perhaps it was inevitable.

They finally changed the name of the Supt. of Schools on the district's " Our District" page. Now as of 3:30AM Tuesday, she's not been assigned an email, but I am sure that is coming. 

Anyway, from time to time, and you hear from folks through "back-channels" who read this blog.....And if they tell you " No" well, they're slipping over and reading....And even to my detractors....Thank you for reading....

BTW...I generally try and listen to some a little " High Brow" before 4AM prayers.  

This morning, I let the computer pick tunes, and what did it decide? 

Puddle of Mudd.

I don't know, Control...and She Hates Me might not be what I really need to be listen to before morning prayer.  

Good thing Ephesians 2: 8-9 are my favorite verses, or I'd worry.....

I seriously have a couple of people in the Baptist and Pentecostal realms who are worried about as Billy Graham would refer to it as, " The soul and it's salvation."   ( I almost started to tell them, if they are that worried about folks, maybe they need to go out on the missionary field......As many of you know, I did in my younger days.....It's not what you think it is....That said, if you're that serious about the " Great Commission," maybe you need to volunteer to go? That's better than me cussin' folks out. Isn't it? And I came close, people's faith is well, sometimes their business.)

Again, I still have a 'Prayer List', and if you need to be added, let me know. 

I know, I know, being petty with the ISD this morning, but the public school world is fixing to change, good, bad or otherwise, they're going to have to be even more "customer friendly".....

I'll ask for forgiveness for my multitude of sins in a little. 

Okay, I've been all over the place this morning....I promise, I'll do better next time....

Always Hopeful Buna, Believe it or Not.....But, Going to Tell You What I Think Anyway....

 Today, Buna Public Schools starts with a new Superintendent of Schools.( Yeah, I know it is a school holiday, but it was me, well, I'd go to the administration building, at least for a little while.Then again, I would have been there Saturday for at least a little while....)

This is what, 5-6-7 different Superintendents since I retired from Buna ISD. 

This time, Buna ISD has hired someone who is from Buna, taught in Buna, worked in the community, knows the parents, the kids, and the faculty. 

Now, will the job be easy?

 Anything but.....

Already I am hearing stories about people working for the district that people are unhappy with. Very unhappy. So disconsolate the Buna ISD Board of Trustees ain't happy.  

I am hoping that there is less micromanagement...Let people do their jobs.  

So, in typical fashion the new Supt. of Schools walks into a hornets nest. That's just typical in 2025. Like Harry Truman popularized the slogan, " Can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen." In other words, the job is going to draw heat. There will be people unhappy with what you do. Literally the job is to try and keep the fewest people mad at you. 

And in the coming 25-26 school year, who knows what the economics is going to look at for public schools. Literally schools are going to get less funding. 

Sadly, because of this, there will be less of everything. 

Again, I am remind I am so glad I am retired.....Then again, I don't want to have a parent conference with you.....I'd be too tempted to say, " Remember when you did........" 

I wish the new Supt. of Schools good luck. She will need it, and she knows it.

 I really wouldn't want the job. 

( Seriously, I am so cheap, everything would be seen from a microeconomics point of view.)

I Don't Know Buna...But, You Might Want to Change This......

 I know this is petty, minor in the scope of life, and I know since the former Supt. of Schools left for Waco, there has been bigger problems like a couple of bat infestations. 

I visit the Buna ISD website oh, every now and again, just to see if there is anything of interest.....

So I visit, the Buna ISD website and under the " Our District" link, Dr. Spicer is still listed as Supt. of Schools.....How many months has she been gone now? 

How long was Mr. Boyd interim superintendent? 

And Monday, the district has a new Buna ISD Superintendent is starting.  

Perhaps, they are waiting for her to officially step into the position?

Again, might be petty, but it looks, well, sloppy. 

I don't know, I remember doing stuff that needed to be changed/fixed when I was with the Buna Schools, and didn't tell my building principal. Or if it was something really big, I changed, fixed the problem, and told them afterwards.....Sometimes, you just need to take initiative.

Sorry, but with the changes in the legislature, schools are going to have to run a little bit more like businesses, especially from the administrative end.

Okay Buna, I Love You....But...

 Overnight I received a number of friend requests from some of you in Buna, or affiliated with Buna, Jasper County etc. 

And yes, I am slowly getting to accept, send requests to you. After I was booted off FB last time, for accepting too many friend requests, so, I am going to be methodical in acceptance, and if you "Like" the blog on a regular basis, well, you're going to get first choice. Sorry, that's sort of the way it should be. 

But alas( "Pigeons in the grass, alas", why Gertrude Stein came to mind, not sure.), the rest of you, don't worry, your acceptance will be coming....Over time...Slowly.....Don't want to be kicked off again.....The whole thing is like I am on some sort of "Double Secret Probation"....Quoting Stein and the movie " Animal House" in the same paragraph.....

Don't give up, have some "stuff" on the ISD coming.

BTW- The "friends" that Facebook suggested I  friend included the incoming Supt. of Buna ISD Schools....As a matter of fact she was Number 2 on the list....

AI is somewhat scary ain't it....That is, unless she read the latest blog, which I doubt.  We( the supt. of schools) are too busy moving right now....

I doubt I go there. Seriously. 

At some point, she's going to make a decision or lack of decision, and this blog will have to " go after her."  

It's just the nature of the blog....

Then again, maybe accept her, let her write a rebuttal to my disagreement, when it comes......And publish it in the blog....  

And as always, if you have information concerning Buna  ISD, Jasper County, etc.I will "investigate" and generally write on the subject. 

As always, any information given is held in strict confidence. I never reveal sources.

 

Let's See How Long Buna.....

 And Jasper, Newton, Hardin, Orange Counties....Before I am excommunicated once again from Facebook. 

Got a message that I had been reinstated, reinstalled, reincarnated....Whatever. And I could " advertise" once again....I guess that means "Post the blog." I am about to give it a whirl and see if it really works or now?

Trouble is, in my scramble to fix my FB purge, the FB reinstated only has 10-15 members....And please, don't friend me all at once. Too many friend requests got me banned once before. 

I have a bad feeling I am going to get excommunicated once again before it is all over with. 

We will see. 

If you missed it,  I posted a blog this morning- If you care to read it. The link to it is below....

 https://thegovteachpartdeaux.blogspot.com/2025/02/so-i-look-at-buna-isds-website.html

And as always, thank you for reading the blog.

Anyway, "It is, what it is.... "

 

So, I Look At Buna ISD's Website......

 Could be because I am looking at it at 4am, and the site is slow, slow....

Heck, it still has Dr. Spicer as Supt. of Schools.....Then again, the new one is not in the "office" yet. 

And heck, in the coming week, Buna has a " Winter Break" of 3 days.....And 2 days off for Redbud coming in March.....followed by a week at Spring Break later in March, and 2 days off for Easter......Heck, I wonder if they could figure a way to make Friday's and a 4 day week a reality with this many days off in the school year? 

I know, I should be looking at going to England for Easter, but we have a pretty full May planned including at trip to Pittsburgh for a graduation.....and then Llano for another graduation.  And another " perhaps" trip planned. 

I know KISD has already approved their calendar with the 4 day week schedule for 25-26. And I know the Buna ISD still is waiting on their new Supt. of Schools to take office.....But I looked, the school she is coming from had a 5 day calendar.....

Maybe next year.....

Now on "X"

 Well, I've been barred from Facebook......Cannot even set up another account......

So, for now, moved to " X."

K.D.Thomas@govteach54