So, Coming to Buna ISD's Classrooms

 They're going to start putting up copies of the Ten Commandments in Texas School Classrooms now....( I misspelled putting, and one of my "correct" choices was " nutting." Couldn't help but laugh....)

What do I think of it? 

Political Theater. 

Like the fire escape posted in every classroom. Oh, I go over it the first day or two, but a month later, no one remembers where to go, especially in secondary school where you have 6-7-8 different classes to attend....No one will pay any attention to it......I know the Texas Legislature pays little attention to it in their own lives, especially the 7th one.... 

They'll be up in classes across the state, they'll turn yellow, crack and no one will pay attention to them....

It's like having a Bible in every classroom....I had KJV on my bookshelf forever.....Somehow I had a Quran written in Italian in my class. A Book of Mormon. Every year, I had a Mormon kid give me one. I have a fancy leather bound one here at the house.   

Government/Economics teacher? Had Adam Smith's " Wealth of Nations."  John Locke's "Two Treatise on Government."Plato's "Republic"..... Someone had slipped Mao's " Little Red Book" into my books. It was covered with dust when I retired.... Machiavelli's " The Prince."  ( Many others, most on democracy, republicanism (small 'r') I don't remember them all...)

Sorry, they just won't care.....Oh, some senior with a religious hair up their ass will come in and read it.....But in truth, as much material I have to cover, I ain't got time....That should be covered in your Sunday School class, not my class on " Supply and Demand." 

And I may teach you a doctrine that your parents disagree with. It's not my job to try and convert you to my form of the Church of Scotland. The Baptists can't even agree on what color carpet they want in the foyer....

I attended what was at the time, the largest Baptist seminary in the world. 

I never saw more heathen in my life....Oh, there were good guys there, but often the ones who turn into the pastors at some of the biggest churches are the ones who would knock you down on their way to the top. They'd kick their own grandma in the head to get to the top....It's just like executives at major Fortune 500 Companies.....

I read a survey the other day that 20% of ministers admit to have physical affairs....Another 18% admit to an emotional one. 

Admit.....

Only 27% think having an affair should disqualify someone from ministry.

The Southern Baptists( SBC) won't investigate sexual misconduct within the convention. This is after the Houston Chronicle,  San Antonio News published several hundred ministers they know of involved in Sexual Misconduct. Most of it being clergy in the SBC being involved with underage girls. 

I remember the time when the SBC would not have divorced deacons , much less ministers. Or ministers who had affairs. 

And people wonder why I have nothing to do with the Baptists, and I was one at time....And part of the reason is they turning a blind eye at sex with underage people. They're more worried about female ministers than girls being raped. And they wonder why their denomination is losing membership?

I am all about forgiveness, but you know, even my hypocrisy goes just so far....Come on, the Texas Legislature won't even pass their own ethics bill.

 

I Just Want to Thank You Buna.....

 No, not sarcasm....

I know I bitch and belly-ache about the district, what's going on in the area.....And as someone once said, " Only you can say what the rest of us are thinking...." 

And I look at it this way, I literally grew up on the Jasper/Orange County border. I know, knew people on both sides of the line. 

We are coming into the summer, and well, the dog days of what is the school season. It should slow down, but in typical Buna ISD fashion, something will " blow-up" and give me something to write about in the school district. It always does. 

I look at the numbers of people reading the blog, and well, I am sometimes just shocked. 

And I am coming up on year 15 of writing the blog. 

It still surprises me from time to time of WHO reads this " rag" as they used to refer newspapers as back in the old days. 

We are also somewhat surprised at the number of people who reside in South Jasper County who've never heard of the blog, and then are shocked that this even exists. 

I know I am beating you over the head with this, but I really wish more of you would "like" the "rag." It's my only way of "payment" as this blog, well, I receive nothing for writing it. And I look at the numbers of people reading it, and they're coming from someplace.....Who ARE you?( And I know some of you reading just cannot allow the "powers that be" know you are reading The Govteach Part Deaux.....)

Also, I never know when a blog I write will " hit." 

Sometimes I will just KNOW this will be a winner, and well, no one reads it, then, I'll write one and think " I just wasted my time" and have huge "reads." ( I was reading an article that Hollywood has the same problem. They really never know what is going to be a hit in 2025.)

Love the articles, hate the articles, I do appreciate the readership. 

I am going to try and cut back on the number of blogs I publish this Summer, and as of  this morning, in this incarnation of the blog we are at Number 1301 articles written and published. That's in Part Deaux alone, not including the old blog. 

As always, I take every PM I receive seriously. And often, more than not think about your message, trying to think how I can write it and not get you in trouble. 

And.....please, keep the messages coming. I am always writing, looking for the the next blog. Or, I am in the process of writing, looking for one more "piece of the puzzle."

Never assume I have heard the story you would like to tell.... 

AND I NEVER REVEAL MY SOURCES.......NEVER....

Never AI generated......You should be able to tell that from the mistakes I make.....

Again, thank you. I do not think you know how much....

Random Stuff....And I Made People Mad....

 -I heard from a couple of people, wanting to know if I could complain for them about the graduation being on the football field at Buna. Already wanting to move it back indoors. 

Bitchin' about it being in the Activity Center.....Bitchin' about it being outside......

- No, I do not know why the band did not play Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance, the National Anthem.....

- No, again, and again, not applying for the Gov/Eco job. I could not do it today. Plus, ain't no way Buna is not going to hire me. I've burned too many bridges. You should know this.....and the person I would love see take the Gov/Eco job has told me they do not want the position. 

That said, I hope the person they hire stays in Buna for 20-30 years. 

Several people were upset at me about the discrepancy concerning retiring people at Buna. I wasn't forceful enough.... I'm sorry, but small schools all across this state care more about sports than academics or even people who have put their life into working for the districts. It's just the way it is... And I hate to tell you, many of you are partly to blame. 

When Buna hired me, I had 150+ applications and resumes out....And guess what, because of the way a former Buna Supt. of Schools had mailed me response to a previous application, I did not even apply again.....And guess who called and hired me? You can't tell me some of this stuff is not foreordained.

- I am doing fewer and fewer weddings. Unless I taught you, I know your family, I pretty much decline. I performed a recent wedding and the bride had so many demands.....I know it's your day and all, but I find out it is wedding 3. At some point people, you need to elope and call it even, especially if you've already had two major league weddings.  

As I have said, if I EVER HAD to get married again, I'd do it in Vegas, used to say get "Elvis " to do it, but I don't think that is done anymore.....But, at age 67, almost 68, I am done. I'll get a dog to keep me company. I'm never going to have what I got now. 

- Yeah, I know, I am concerned about many of you who can't find a serious boyfriend/girlfriend. The world has changed so much, and the rules of dating, marriage have changed so much in the 40+ years since I have been married. I worry about or population. I worry about my nephews finding someone. I understand more and more why my daughter in law in from China. 

I am shocked at the number of people who are church goes who screw anything that move, boys and girls( And I know not all, but be honest, you know I am telling the truth. And I know some of you older people will find this somewhat shocking, heck, I still do....)

- Going to be wet this week. Try and stay dry. Plus, it is already 85F at 7AM on this Monday...

-As promised, I am running a purge the next 12 to 48 hours. Some of you are safe, and others of you, well, you need to go. 

 

So, I Receive Mail on Buna.....Sommer, Retirements, My Opinion( Always)

 I actually got people commenting that I should not have posted that " funny" of Sommer pretending the bribe me. 

They somehow took it serious, never mind I told you we were just having a good time when the photo was taken.....

Let me respond.....Get a life. 

Stop reading the blog.

I was going to say, " Feck you and the clap dripping mule you rode in on..." 

But instead, I need to run a purge, very soon......And well...."Bye!"

- Second

I received PMs,emails from people concerning the retirements at Buna ISD. 

I know that Coach Terrier is retiring after a long career at Buna High. 

I liked Kevin. I'll be honest, he is one of the few faculty members I liked at the school. He had a Math certificate and could have made more money moving to another ISD, but he stayed in Buna and taught and coached. 

People in the general population do not really understand how much in demand math people are. But he was loyal to the district. And that alone he should receive accolades for.  

The messages I received on the retirements concerned two long time paraprofessionals with the district. 

Mrs. McMahon at the high school and Mrs. Robinson at the elementary. And people were upset that there seemed to be more spoken about the certified faculty retiring than those doing sometimes some really dirty/hard work for the district. 

And those I heard from complaining are not folks who generally gripe about every little thing. They're not pro-DEI or "woke" people. They are generally pretty conservative members of the community. 

Let me remind you that school districts are political. Some people are valued more than others. They just are. 

There was no real hoopla from the school district when I left BHS. And I made it well known I was leaving. The people who made the stink? The kids. The seniors gave me a good Fare-Thee-Well......

A year ago, you swore, fond she!
    "To love, to honour," and so forth:
Such was the vow you pledged to me,
    And here's exactly what 'tis worth

Oh, Lord Byron......The ole Govteach loves me some 1700s-1800s English literature.....Byron wrote this to leave England and never see his family again...The ole surly Govteach believe it or not, is a "Romantic" at heart.....

I was certainly surprised at the number of juniors who came by and asked me to " Stay one more year." As one told me, he wanted " The Thomas experience to get him ready for college." 

But the district itself? 

Good damn riddance was their attitude.  

There was a bunch of the faculty, for whatever reason could not stand me. And part of it was, I thought they were sorry teachers. I didn't play up to them. And Buna during my time had some good ones. Including both 12th grade English instructors during my time, heck, I know you may not like this, but you had good English teachers, a damn good science teacher one of the best, if not THE best I saw in all the districts I taught in( You had another science teacher, well, I really wish she would have stayed a little longer), the female coaches were super hardworking, one even though I  teased her son about it, actually showed missionary spirit, and the district tossed her out like an old shoe. ....And the ag teachers, man, you had a guy who knew more about Forestry than the trees. ( I know I am missing folks)

But there were others, and I literally almost came to blows with a female literally trying to " take care" of a group of seniors.  

And there was a councilor who hated me with a passion, and let people know every chance they had, and I am not sure what I did.....I am guessing my personality. I worked in a field that is 75% female and I really didn't give a damn what you thought.

Kerry Don Thomas is different. I was serious about teaching you. I wanted you to be the best in your next step. Whatever it was. I was hard, and it was difficult being that hard. I read my eyeballs out on your essay exams. I didn't have time for other people's foolishness. And the Lord knows I like to have a good time.

And I suffered for it. I've never really had time for older girly-girls. I love me some blue eyed brunette Tom-boys. Believe it or not, St. Debbie is one. She was playing center-field on a rough, I mean rough girl's team when I met her. I think she might have been the only heterosexual on the team.  ( I say that, there were a couple of married girls on the ballclub, including the 2nd baseman who was a tiny girly-girl, or so I thought until she plowed into another girl at 3rd base trying to knock the ball out of her hand.)

My wife can change the oil and filter, a flat tire? Child's play. She can change spark plugs, I taught her how to take the quarter panel off her car and she thinks learning how is the coolest thing ever. She changed the belts on the riding mower.  

And this is not what you think of St. Debbie. And she earned St. Debbie.........She teaches the ladies Sunday School class, was the President of the WMU, and someone have an illness, or death in the family, or need help, she's the first one to organize what is needed for that family. ( She really earned the moniker being married to the ole Govteach and the lunacy that ensues. )

( I say all this, you seriously do not know who is gay or straight. Peppermint Patty from the cartoon Peanuts, everyone thought she was gay...Not hardly, look at the way she acted around Charlie Brown. She was nuts about him. I figure she asked him to the prom in high school and told him later in life that " We are getting married, and when..."  And on their honeymoon night, I figure Charlie Brown got turned every which way but loose.)

But I digress.....

Am I shocked at people not being recognized like others? 

It is why I write and blog and don't feel bad about what I say....

Come on, think about it....School districts are often mean, cold places....Faculty,staff are just pawns.....Cogs in the machine. You can be tossed away in a heartbeat. Replaced at a whim. They are just like any other business, perhaps worse...

 

 Please folks, I often put my neck out writing this mess. I see the numbers of people reading. And they are often big. I ain't getting money for doing this, only likes to let me know if I am " Doing good" or not. If this keeps going I may limit readership.   

 

Several Stories This Morning...Bunanites Fighting at CiCi's Pizza.....More Buna Swingers.....And I Hope, the Final Story on The Arrests at the School....

 Dear Gentle Readers,

( I am surprised Chris has not gotten onto me for not starting my blogs with that salutation....)

1. 

Last evening I was sent video concerning two Buna teens fighting at an area pizzeria.  

It seems that the young ladies were fighting, allegedly over a boy....

Mom....Grandma......Sister.......Auntie......Cousins......You need to sit your teen girl down and talk to them about boys...There are a lot of sorry ones in my sex.  

If a boy is playing both sides of the fence, he's running with two different , three different, 6 different girls....He's probably not boyfriend, much less husband material. 

A lot of boys have the Pampers's Diaper Philosophy concerning females...." Use them and throw them out." 

The same is true concerning girls. If you find out after you've been dating another girl for a while, just dating she is still looking around, boys, move on. Don't be friends, don't try and win her over, I believe dating someone is literally a trial run towards marriage, and if either wants to see other people, well, you are not " the one."

2.  

I was informed originally by just one person about this situation. Now it is multiples. 

A couple whom I taught, now married, and I always thought she was cute and very sweet.....Well, it seems he is bringing men over to have sex with his wife....While he watches and often acts as a videographer. 

We are talking about one guy, up to several guys in a so-called " gangbang" situation....

When I first was told of it, well, I thought it was bull. Apparently not....

Man, just the idea of my wife sucking another man's pecker makes me ill. And it seems, he's really into his wife giving 'head' to the other guys, and she swallowing....He kissing her afterwards for the taste.....

Like than video meme...." Ewwww Brother.....Ewwwww....."

I always assumed, and apparently it doesn't always happen, which sort of surprises me, before marriage people discuss their past, and discuss what they expect in marriage, and Deb and I are close with a lot of stuff, we are unbelievably cheap, like to travel, have similar religious beliefs, and basically have two things that are a deal-breaker. What we called, " Don't beat, don't cheat." I don't even like to even be alone in a room with a female I am not related to. And make sure a door is open or there is giant plate glass window you can view the porch from. 

I don't get these people whose spouse is "putting out" whenever they want, and that man...or woman strays for some " strange."  I'm going to screw up my marriage, lose my kids, for that little blonde or Chad who leaves you as soon as your divorce is finalized. 

3.

And this is the last time I will discuss this topic. ( I hope)

I am literally surprised at the number of messages I have received from folks concerning the school arrests. And the cases being dropped. 

Perhaps the part that upsets people the most is the attention to Buna/Jasper County that the news media brought back to the county. 27 years ago the Byrd murder put Jasper County in a horrid light. The media made it seem everyone here was in the KKK. And well, in spite of what some people may think, they're not. It was a Jasper County jury who put the Byrd murderers on death row. Say what you want to, Billy saved the county from a lot of blow-back. Someone needs to do their PhD dissertation in Political Science on the moves he made during that time, and yes, not everyone in the county was pleased, but dadgum, his moves were brilliant.

You can find people who think that same way in Boston, or Minnesota, or Portland, Oregon. You REALLY want to see racists, go to Boston, not only do they hate black people, they hate white people from the South. Trust me, I've been to Boston. And Providence, Rhode Island......

And my messages are split of the situation.....Including one person who wrote me concerning the situation who said, " Where do the ladies go to get their name back since the charges are now dropped. Will national media express that?" 

And then there were people upset that charges were dropped. And they blame the judiciary. 

Now, as I have said in the past, when I am with non-Southerners, I will play up my accent, then throw them a curve ball with complicated Latin phrases. " How you like that you Yankee Mother-scratcher?"

I don't want to them to think we are all uneducated hillbillies.I wanted my students to KNOW they were just as smart as the kids next to them in college from some fancy rich school. I want them to be better prepared and I worked hard to get you there. It just didn't "happen" on my end of the classroom. You were just as bright, and I wanted you to realize that....  

Historically, this area was full of people running from something. I know looking into my family past, ( 1800s) there were people wanted for murder in another state hiding on the Orange/Jasper County line. It's why they came here. Heck, some of the family is still there, and others of us, well, we are not far away.  And the area right across the Sabine from us, was known as " No Man's Land." ( The older generation of people, my parents and grandparents would not talk about our family history. I even have cousins who will not....I on the other hand openly discuss it. But, I have a history background.) 

That said, sometimes stuff is for us, the as the English would say, needs to be passed through the community off the " Bush-Wire." Kept local....It's not for the outside world. When folks from Maryland, Oregon, Florida are talking about, and I hear about it in Alaska. I spent my entire career, as I said talking up Buna alone, and I am convinced it once again, y'all are good folks, but sometimes one event, well.....It's not a Chamber of Commerce moment.

Charges Dropped

 So, I have it on good authority that the following has happened.....

If I am wrong, please correct me.....

1. The two ladies arrested at the school have had the charges dropped by the judge....

2. The young man arrested with the knife, also had the charges dropped.... 

Maybe it is me, but we have had a splash over pretty much nothing, especially with the young man. This could have followed him for the next 70 years....Apparently a poor arrest was involved....

In both cases, sometimes life needs to go on.....

So, I Leave for Alaska and Buna, Jasper County Makes the U.S. News

 So, I read about the arrested at the Buna Schools online. Next thing you know, I am having people ask me about it from around the state of Texas....Then, it on the news....In Alaska......And people are asking Buna natives about it from all over the country......Oregon....Maryland......Florida.....

That's bad when people from Florida are turned away to look at what happened in that State of Lunatics, and find happening in Buna interesting. 

And I have heard so many stories about what really caused the incident that I do not know what to believe...

And please, don't explain what your version of what happened is.....

I spent 20 years trying to make people know that Buna is a decent place to live, and the kids, people there are good folks. It takes one incident like this publicized, to make us, yes, I said "US" because I spent most of my career working to make Buna seem like a good, sane place, make me look like a liar......And don't explain, yes we are good folks, and I generally you are, but it only takes one incident to to blow any good PR away.

And the thing is, they were charged with misdemeanors. The jails are so full now, local prisoners are often"farmed out" to other jails, the county paying other counties to take their overflow..... and they'll probably get a fine and some probation....a slap on the wrist. And the way they were pictured, smiling like a Cheshire Cat, they know not much will happen to them. And if they get a good lawyer, they may get much lesser charge. 

British ancient historian Francis Grose first used the term in the 1700s, long before Lewis Carroll.......I'm going off the top of my head here.....

 " He grins like a Cheshire cat; said of any one who shows his teeth and gums in laughing."

Again, I am a waste of a good education.....

 -We now apparently are running for office year round now. 

It's happening in Jasper County, it's happening with people I advise holding office. 

It's tiresome. 

Every move any politician makes now I view as " I'm running again in 2028, I need to make a splash now." " And keep making a splash the next 4 years." 

Often making stuff seem worse than it actually is....

Remember this of any politician. Be suspect of anything they do. And while this has been true in the past, with social media, heck, any of the electronic media, internet of today, it is worse. 

- Finally, let me remind you, there has been a " War on Drugs" since Nixon started the "War." We're talking right at 60 years now......If anything it has gotten worse. 

And I am not "stop trying to do something about it, stop it," Fentanyl, Crystal Meth are just awful drugs. Ruin people's lives. I was given Fentanyl patches after a very serious surgery I had a number of years ago in Houston. I could not handle them. I vomited and they were patches. I carried the box back to the drug store. Told them I can't take them. The pharmacist whom I've known for years even told said " I wondered if you could handle them?"  cut them up in front of me, then put them in a lock box. to be destroyed. 

I can't imagine what people are like who eat the pills like M&Ms. 

That said, people on this stuff need help. We've tried law and order for like I said 60 years, and it is worse, not better. I am not sure this is somehow designed and I don't mean locally. 

And the thing is, the economy is going to get bad. Really bad. I know people who've put out 150+ applications for jobs, and not a sniff from anyone..... Some people are going to turn to using and selling, either ease the pain, or try and/or make a living. 

Somebody has to come up with an answer. And so far, jailing folks ain't working.

  

 

Well Buna..... Epilogue

 Epilogue - a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened.

Kerry and Debbie are home after our " American Tour."

We flew from Houston Hobby, and the more I fly from Hobby, the more I like it......to Pittsburgh. Attended April's graduation,  got on the Alaskan Airlines about 3 hours after she " walked" flew 5 hours across America to Seattle. 

Got on a damn boat the next day to Alaska. 

Got back Sunday, went to the kid's townhouse, had REAL Chinese food, then got on the bird Monday flew Seattle to Denver to Houston.....7 hours in total. 

We are whipped. 

Yes, Alaska is gorgeous.  It was our second time. 

Trouble is every time we go to Alaska, a Father dies. My dad, W. E. " Bill" Thomas passed our first time there and we came home early. This time, St. Debbie's father Commander John Britain US Navy Retired,( I've married into an upper crust of folks. The officer class for one, going back to St. Deb's great-great-grandfather who was an actual General in the Confederate Army. John C. Moore, look him up.) passed 2 days before we left, but he had been very ill and we knew it was coming. His memorial service is in June.

Sorry folks, I am not a cruise person, the idea of going on a trip with 4000 of my closest friends, is well, ain't my idea of having a good time. I actually enjoyed talking to the Asian/African workers on the ship than the Yankees which populated the ship. Especially those from the Philippines. Ask where they are from and about their family and we are off and running. Asians are more family oriented than us. But,  you must remember, I worked as a missionary for a while and was taught how to approach people, (the Mormons do a good job teaching their missionaries how to talk to folks they just met...) Yes, I've had several different lives.....

The food was well, okay. I did enjoy the breakfasts, as you could fix "fake" Full English/Scottish/ Ulster Breakfast with bangers, English bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried eggs, tatties, even had H&P Sauce,but not Black Pudding, or Haggis, or White Pudding....But the rest of the buffet, well, just too bland. I like some heat to my food. 

We wound up eating at the fancy sit-down dinner and as I have had written, had a rare steak every night....Make Kerry Don Thomas happy? Give him cow to eat. 

Alaska is gorgeous. I'll give you that, and I enjoyed sitting on the balcony as we sailed up the fjords and straits.  

But being on a boat and the towns along the coast, well, they are touristy. But then again, Kerry and St. Debbie wind up in oddball places when we travel. On a sheep farm in the Yorkshire Dales.....Walking around the West Bank of Palestine and we're not supposed to do so....Walking in Protestant Derry in the hotbed of the " Troubles of Northern Ireland." Places tourists generally do not go.  

I don't know, just not my " thing." 

I like flying to my destination, renting a car and going wherever I want. 

April, AKA Yu Zhou is already talking about us traveling on a Mediterranean cruise....I would like to see Northern Italy....Croatia.....Heck, I'd like to sail from New York to Southampton,  England on the Queen Mary, wear a tux every night for dinner. Rent a car and tour Southern England....Kerry and St. Debbie love the UK...But I am afraid the Queen Mary is a wee bit too rich for me. 

Yes, going to write on events in Buna, Jasper County while we are gone in the next couple of days.....Maybe later today....Depends on my mood....

Okay Buna, Newton County, Jasper County, Orange County, Hardin County.......

 As many of you know I am about to take a sabbatical.

Yes, I'll check in. 

No, do not plan to blog....

And yes, I will be across the country to Pittsburgh for a graduation, Seattle, Juneau political vacation( I'll explain when we get back), Victoria, Canada, Denver, Llano for a graduation, and finally Orlando for a memorial service.....

I' m tired just reading where we'll be the next 8 weeks.....And yes, of course, we will be home several times. 

So, dadgum behave while I am gone. I don't want an event to occur in South Jasper County and I have to explain to people on a damn boat what just happened.  

Yes, I am working on future blogs. Yes, there are questions I have. Yes, there are questions you have. And yes, the Buna Schools are most of my concerns with the upcoming blogs. 

Remember me in your prayers. As I've said, I don't "do" boats very well.

As always, thank you for reading.....I'm coming rapidly up on 15 years for the blog. (July)

 

Okay, You Can Stop Sending Me These......And a Little Economic Scare.....

 Let's talk a little this morning about economics.....

-The ports are not unloading anything. We of course are talking about the ports that get ships from China, and yes, there are ports on our side of the continent that get ships from Asia.  They're already talking about laying-off longshoremen, truckers, warehouse people....

-OPEC+ is about to flood the market with oil, this morning, oil has recovered some, but yesterday, the oil price crashed. You must remember, our area is a "One Trick Pony" concerning economics....It's oil and gas, oil and gas.......The oil market is down, well, it'll start to hurt here. 

- Just to add to the list of indicators to watch 

1) Lumber - indicates residential construction ( Lumber demand has tanked.)

2) Copper - indicates industrial construction 

3) Oil - a general indicator of everything 

Copper seems to be doing OK, but oil and lumber are in the toilet. ( Part of the copper deal is Chinese demand. The government over there is still building stuff they don't need. Government works projects.)

Part 2-

-I got to quit showing my love of Church History on this blog. And the College of Cardinals election of a new Pope? Well, this is must see TV for this Protestant.

It's been like an open door to some of you. 

People have come out of the woodwork with their theological/denominational beliefs.  Sending me PM's. emails, and whoever has started upping the number of prayer cards in the mail. 

Stop, please stop. I asked this recently. I ask once again.

As the Rev. Billy Graham said, " I am happy with my soul and its' salvation."

There was someone who sent a message throwing a fit about me talking about the Catholics and the selection of the next Pope.....Again, don't like the blog, don't read it. 

 

 

 

Okay, Crazy Conclaves Story Time, and What to Look for as a Protestant.....

 BTW- Writing this while listening to " Rage Against the Machine....."

The Conclave of the Cardinals start this week....Wednesday at 4:30PM Rome time, 9:30AM CDT. 

Again, 133 Cardinals are eligible to vote. 1 Cardinal is too sick to attend. 1 is too crooked to vote and dropped out.

They'll vote 4 times a day until the Pope is chosen. 

They're are locked away during the voting, no phone, no TV, no internet....

I won't be shocked if there is a Pope by Thursday. Most of these guys are already wanting to get back home. 

Remember white smoke, they've elected a Pope, black smoke, they have not....The smoke is the burning the the ballots mixed with a chemical to cause black or white smoke.  

Foods are restricted like they cannot have whole chickens and pies. It is believed note from the outside world could be smuggled in....So, what do they eat? A lot of pasta and soup.

- 236 AD( I am going back old school from CE) In that year, a dove landed on a priest by the name Fabian's head. The electors saw it as a sign and he was elected Pope. 

-1241 AD The Cardinals were looked in a palace, hot, unsanitary,  one cardinal died, others got sick. They still couldn't decide on Pope. The citizens of Roman threatened to dig up the dead Pope, Gregory IX. The Cardinals finally elected an old sick guy, who became Celestine IV. He died 17 days later. 

-1268-1271 AD The longest Concave. 2 years, 9 months. It was so long 3 of the 20 Cardinals died. Locals were so upset with Cardinals, they walled them in, and put them on a diet of bread and water. The Cardinals still could decide on the Pope. Finally locals tore the roof of the building they were in....They elected Gregory X who established rules for picking a Pope including voting at least once a day. 

- 1492 AD The Cardinals first meeting in the Sistine Chapel.  One of the Cardinals was a Borgia, a very wealthy family. Trouble is, he had a string of mistresses and many children. He simply paid off the Cardinals and was elected Alexander VI. 

- 1503 AD The shortest Conclave, only a couple of hours. Everyone was afraid of Julius II and he literally became the " Warrior Pope" who lead the Vatican Army into battle. He started rebuilding St. Peter's in Rome. 

- 1605 AD Paul V was elected after several fistfights broke out between the Cardinals. 

- 1655 AD Several younger Cardinals were bored and decided to play a prank on some of the older Cardinals. One dress up as the Holy Ghost and scared these older cardinals. One was so scared it is told he died shortly after the scare. 

Yes, I dug out my old notes from a Church History class I took in divinity school 157 years ago. I remembered these stories, but not all of the details.

Buna Schools, Did I Do This?

 As I have posted on the Facebook machine, as Jim Cornett called whatever Social Media you're on....

The Gubmint and Economics position is open again at Buna HS.......And I know politics is often involved in that job. And apparently has "runt-off" ( To use Oh Brother speak and spelling)  the latest holder of that position.

And I am not going to lie, the gubmint/economics job can be political if you let it.  

But Buna, you're running a new teacher in that position every 2 years. 

No, I am not applying. As I have said previously, the kids have changed from millennials when I was there to Gen Z and well, with Gen Alpha coming, I want nothing to do with either generation. 

Research papers would all be written by Chat-GPT, AI would be involved with so much, and I'll be honest, I am using it from time to time. 

And if my application was even submitted, as soon as they saw it it would be as Chris Bossier said, " Ran through the shredder." 

He's right.

I've burned my bridges back to Buna and I know this. And as many of you suspect, this was done on purpose. After a couple of years gone, I could not come back and be " Mr. Thomas." I just couldn't. For many reasons. 

Here is my question.....

Did I fuck up the job while I was there that no one now really wants it? 

Let me reiterate, the average holder of the position stays about 2 years since I left.....

Or is Buna just not a good place to teach? Did those of us who stayed forced ourselves on Buna or molded ourselves to fit the " Buna ISD style?"  Or does teaching suck so bad today no one can hardly stand to do it?

Psychologically, I always saw a Gov/Eco job as a plum position. Teaching 12th graders? Come on baby, you are teaching what I considered as adults and tried to treat you in that way, thus me be somewhat gruff, and being brutally honest with you....I know my 12th grade government teacher, Faye Fitts, did that to us back in the day. ( There were no classes in economics in the middle 1970s)  

Perhaps I am over analyzing this? Perhaps this is just schools in the 2020s......

100 Men Fighting One Gorilla........

 So, this is the latest question going around the internet

Who would win a fight? 100 men or the gorilla? 

Are we talking about 100 regular guys? 100 Sumo Wrestlers?  100 Navy Seals? 100 Crackheads? 

I doubt it ever takes places, but in all seriousness, I might actually PPV something like this....Just to see....

You can rest assure. Someone is trying to set this up....

No, This Was Never Going to Happen at Buna ISD........

 Or Silsbee, Vidor, LCM, or even Beaumont ISD,,,,,,

Or even places like Austin ISD.....

Thie Furry, Furrbie, what the hell ever you call it.....

There are no litter boxes in schools.....If there were don't you think we would have pictures of them in the schools....With every kid now having a cell phone, don't you think there would be one? And I looked this morning....None....

And if there were, who would they get to take care of the boxes? A janitor is going to scoop human poop from a litter box? A teacher? 

Both would quit.  

And I can just about imagine the field day I'd had making fun of the kid....Hell, I doubt I would get any actual teaching done. 

So, the Texas Legislature has taken up the issue......These guys meet 140 days every other year, and this is the pressing issue? 

Schools don't have litter boxes, even the most liberal ones.