Archive's of previous posts  from July 28th 2006 through September 19th 2006. Pops OriginalPage

Jens' Place Well written and great photo documentation. A fun family site.

Texxasrulez My baby boy a computer genious.

Meghan Grand daughter

Noah Grand son

Poetry Page

December 29th 2006

This year is almost history.

For me the holidays are over. I will probably be asleep by 10:30 P.M. New Years Eve. We had a nice Christmas with everybody at Gene and Jenny's. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas and will have a safe and happy new year. My new year resolution is to lose weight. We'll see how that goes. Talk to ya next year.

 

November 8th 2006

The country has spoken. Today starts a new era. Will the democrats blow it?

I hope the dems use this chance wisely and govern from the middle. Also I am very thankful for the chance to now have "oversite" of the excutive branch. Hopefully the days of doing whatever they please without any questions asked from the congress is gone. The republican congress had a responsibility to oversee but chose instead to govern in lock step with the executive branch. I will be watching with interest to see what the dems do. I am a little disappointed that Texas did not vote with the rest of the nation for change. We re-elected a governor even though 60% of the people that voted voted againist him. We sent the "prom queen" back to the senate with over 60% of the vote. But the day seems to be getting better. I just heard that Don Rumsfeld resigned from the Defense Secretary post. Maybe now we will get someone in there that will listen to his commanders and clean the up the mess Mr. Rumsfeld has made at the pentagon. My beef has never been with the military, it has always been with the civilian bosses.

I plan to start writting my representatives in Washington D.C. and Austin on a regular basis. I plan on being a pain in their ass. Since "Governor Goodhair" was re-elected I wonder if he will abandon his plans for the Trans Texas Cooridor? For those of you that havn't heard of it please do a google search on the topic. My reason for wondering if he will abandon the plan is because the majority of people that know about it hate it. It is the biggest land grab in the history of Texas for private use.

November 7th 2006

Election day 2006. Whatever the outcome I expect the sun to come up tomorrow. I also will be watching and blogging on the politicans of both parties.

The past two weekends were spent with family and we had good weather both weekends and had a great time. This coming weekend is the "Superbowl" for the 4th, and 5th grade football team at Aurbey. The game will be played at UNT in Denton. It will be a great thrill for the kids. Noah asked his mom if they were going to get superbowl rings.

October 18th 2006

Twenty days until the elections. Five days until early voting begins. I will vote on the 23rd of October.

I got an e-mail today from one of my co-workers that someone had sent him. It was one of those pass along type e-mails. Anyway the first line said it all for me. It stated that in January of this year 39 deaths were attributed to military action in Iraq. In the same month 35 people were murdered in Detroit. Thereby implying that Iraq is safter than most U.S. cities. That made me remember that back in June Rep. Steve King (Rep from Iowa) made the same type assurtion on the house floor of the House of Representitives. Something to the effect that his wife was in more danger in Washington D.C. than most civilians were in Iraq. This is verifiable on the web. Just do a google search on Rep King and Iraq. This complete falsehood was upheld by none other than the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. Which brings me to the topic of today's post. The administration is using talk radio to get its message out. All the top "talkers" got a private meeting with the president to get there marching orders. (Also verifible on the web). Ole Rushbo always refers to news media as the "driveby media". I don't remember what Hannity calls them. The lady talker calls them the dinasoar media. It seems strange to me that all of them have cute little slogans for the news organizations. Credible news stories are ripped apart by the rightwing talkshow hosts for political purposes only. They have no reason to tell the truth. Getting their party re-elected and making money hand over fist off of fear is the only agenda they have. Ole Rushbo talks about the republicans are the only party with any ideas. That if you disagree with anything this administation does that you are either a traitor or some liberal kook. I looked up the meaning of the words "conservative" and "liberal". The definitions might suprise some people. The definiton for conservative is 1. Disposed to perserve existing conditions, institiutions, etc. or to restore traditions and to limit change. 2. Cautiously moderate or purposefully low (conservative estimate). 3. Tradional in style or maner. Avoiding novelty or showiness. 4. Having the power or tendency to conserve. The definition of liberal is 1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. 2. Favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law. 3. Favorable or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression. 5. Of or pertaining to representational forms of govornment rather than aristocracies and momarchies. Both definitions also denote a political party. I had thought the republican party had drifted away from true conservatism but, if you look at the way they run the govornment it looks as though they are following the definition of conservate to the letter of the law. Unwilling to change course. Unwilling to listen to another point of view. The disolution of civil liberties. The list goes on and on. I love this country and all it stands for. I am tired of a select few hardline rightwingers shaping a view of the United States aroung the world. I am not saying that the democrats have the answers but I am saying this bunch or hardliners in Washington D.C. today do not have a clue. Whatever your belief, make it known on election day. Get out and vote!

October 12th 2006

So many things in the news these days, but have to pick just one at a time to write about. Today's subject is Lindie England.

I read an article today about Lindie England (The "Leash Lady"). She recieved a 3 year sentence for her part in the prison scandal in Iraq. She is spending her time at the Navy brig at San Diego. That one event (in my opinon) was the turning point in the war. Things have went down hill from there. Her life has been forever changed. She was the center piece of an international incident. She was 20 years old. I wonder, was she trained in middle eastern culture? Did she have any idea that the things she and her co-partners were doing was about as bad a disgrace that could be possible to impose on an arab man? No one in high command has taken responsibility for what happened. While I do not condon her actions, I can see how easily it could have happened. I hope after she gets out of prison she can make a new life for herself. What has happened to the people that set policy for the treatment of prisoners? My guess they have been promoted and are on to bigger and better things.

October 3rd 2006

Made it back into Conroe about 10P.M. monday night after lengthy road trip into North Texas and beyond.

After visiting my mom and the kids saturday me and Em left Kellie's house early sunday morning and started a whrilwind trip to see the "old folks". We went to Northeast Texas, South eastern Oklahoma and back to Sulphur Springs by 11P.M. saturday night. We got a room and the next morning went out to Bodie's house. We had lunch with Bodie and most of his kids. Larry Ponder (Bodie's son-in-law) asked me about Gene's long hair. I told him about the locks for love hair donation. Now I never had bushy hair myself.  Click on picture for a larger view.

After lunch with Bodie and the gang we made two more stops to visit the "old folks". Man I am tired. Next time we need a central place and have a reunion.

September 29th 2006

Its friday!!! Good morning I woke early this morning and am feeling preety chiper-this is a good thing.

Me and Em are headed to North Texas later today to visit family and friends. I don't mention all the birthdays but we got a couple that are coming up soon. Rambo will be one next month and "Sneaky Snake" will be 35". When Gene was about five Tom T. Hall recorded a childrens album and the title song was Sneaky Snake. Gene liked the song and would go around singing it. Some of my friends started calling him sneaky snake. I hadn't thougt of that in years. My favorite song from the album was "I Love You Too". Tom T. Hall is another legend in song writting. I am posting the words to "I Love You Too" on my poetry page.

September 27th 2006

Bought gas for $1.96.9 yesterday. Forty one days until the mid term elections. Hum....I wonder?

But enough of Larry Finkelsten's conspriracy theories for today. (I'll work on that tomorrow). This morning while watching the news I caught a story about the increase in the cost of medical care. Texas was one of the states with the biggest problem. Seems us old foggies are living to long and need too much health care. Family care costs have risen 87% since the year 2000. (And I thought only the democrats caused price increases). Anyway the story went on to say that wages have only risen 20% in the same time period. That's what got my attention!! Where are these jobs that are having wage increases of 4% a year? I thought those days disappeared 20 years ago. The company I work for has given me a 1% raise the last 6 years and reduced my salary "range" so that I am at 125% of salary. I was told last year that that was my last raise - I am topped out. After saying all of that, I am so glad I have as good a job as I have. I enjoy such things as 3 weeks paid vacation, 5 personnal holidays, and 8 paid standard holidays. The company does a 6% match in my 401K. The down side of the last 6 years is that the company has laid off all support staff in our group. (The do more with less comcept). And the "biggie" The old standard retirement plan I grew up with has been eliminated. Most companies have jumped on that band wagon. That is the price of global trade. The other price is to "out-source" work to small business's or foreign companies. I have had three small business's myself. None turned into a rich reward for me. Just alot of hard work for very little pay. Now some might say that just shows I don't know how to run a business. I have worked for small business owner's and I have worked in the corporate world and I have never heard anyone say oh goodie I'm so lucky to work for Joe Blow's widget shop. First off, small business's do not have 401K's, medical insurance or paid vacations, holiday's or retirements. (At least none of the one's I ever worked for). If we continue down the path of out-sourcing labor to small business's to get around the labor costs associated with corporations or union shops we are headed for the biggest disaster we can imagine. A declining labor pool along with reduced benefits means that one day alot of old people will be in deep dodo. Unable to work anymore with no savings or retirement, social security broke and gone. Some will say that just shows they should have saved for their own retirement. I wonder how they are going to do that on $5,6,7,8-15 dollars an hour?

September 25th 2006

Current affairs and world news has not been very good the past few weeks with the exception of the decrease in gas prices. I wonder what happened to cause the drop in price?

I read a story last friday that could not have come at a worse time for me. A story about two very self serving people. This story was in friday's addition of USATODAY. It seems these two wanted more time off from their jobs so they invented a story about the woman's son being very ill. After several months of "visiting" him in the hospital he suddenly pasted away. They even put an obituary in the local paper telling of his death and where to send memorial contributions. A few weeks later the dead boy was spotted at a local mall. It has been a long time since I wanted to beat the crap out of someone but, if I knew where they were I would try.

I did not do alot of "things" with my children. My excuse was that I was always working. I regret not spending more time with them "just having fun". When my son was younger I  promised we would take a trip up the Brazos River from the upper end of Lake Whitney. He is 35 and we still havn't made the trip. The time we have with our children is short - we should use it wisely. The last thing I remember my father saying to me was "I should have told you boys how much I love you while you where growing up". Those are wise words. Be sure and tell your children you love them. (I know they will think you are weird or something but, someday they will have children too-then they will know).