Author Archives: Red from Texas

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About Red from Texas

I'm proud to be Red. I have lived most of my life in Texas and I love this place. Here are a few things you should know about me. 1. I am happily married and intend to stay so. 2. I live in a house that is older than you, unless you are really old. 3. I own 2 rifles and a shotgun. I think handguns are just trouble. 4. I have never killed a man, but have taken out some deer and hogs. 5. I was a good student, but never close to being valedictorian. 6. In no particular order I like the Houston Texans, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Astros, FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Texas Longhorns and Houston Dynamo. 7. I hate Dallas but always have a good time when I go there. 8. I was a Dallas Cowboys fan for 26 years but declared that I was no longer a fan during the 1987 strike. 9. I don't own any pets. I like cats, and a good dog and I have met at least 3 of them in my lifetime. 10. I think the best part of Texas is west of I-35. 11. I own two pairs of cowboy boots, but don't wear them very often. 12. I don't have a pronounced Texas accent, but can affect one when needed. 13. My last meal would be fried shrimp with tartar sauce, a baked potato with all the fixins', a dinner salad with 1000 Island dressing, yeast rolls and chocolate fudge pie for dessert. 14. I'm an old Dad, but my children are none of your business. 15. I have two degrees from UT-Austin and somehow managed to fall in love with and marry an Aggie. 16. Most of my family are right-wing nut jobs but I love them anyway. 17. When I get to play golf on a regular basis, I shoot in the low 80's. 18. I don't get to play golf on a regular basis. 19. I think Fort Worth is the best town in Texas by a long shot. 20. I have a mean herb garden. Regards, Red P.S. Remember it's not a color, it's a state of mind.

Today in Texas History – September 27

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From the Annals of Corruption – In 1993, Senator Kay Baily Hutchinson (R-Texas) was indicted on charges that she misused state facilities and employees while she was the Texas state treasurer. In one of the most unusual legal proceedings ever, KBH eluded conviction and really even a trial.  Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earl seemed to have a fairly strong case against the Senator based on telephone records and other documents showing that Treasury Department employees were campaigning for KBH from state offices.  The trial judge was John Onion, the former presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.  Onion refused to rule on the admissibility of evidence seized pursuant to a grand jury warrant from the Treasurer’s office.  The most curious aspect was that strong precedent from the U.S. Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals holds that a government employee such as KBH does not have any reasonable expectation of privacy in the government records that comprised the primary evidence against KBH.  In other words, she had no standing to challenge the admissibility of the evidence because the documents being relied on by the prosecution did not belong to her.  By refusing to rule pre-trial, Onion denied the state the chance to appeal.  Once the jury was empaneled, Earl refused to go forward and KBH’s attorney Dick DeGuerin asked Onion to instruct the jury to return a not guilty verdict which they did.

Red thinks the fix was clearly in. Then Gov. Ann Richards was facing the possibility of similar charges based on her own alleged use of government employees for political purposes.  Onion, a Democrat, was tight with Richards and Earl had long known Richards in Travis County political circles.  The word on the street was that Earl was instructed by Richards to fall on his sword and that Onion was complicit in the strategy.   However it came down, it was a huge political win for KBH.

A Typical Morning in America

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Red had a typical morning today.  He got up, splashed a little cold on the mug, took out the trash, put away the dishes, got the newspaper, read the sports section, had a cup of Joe, showered, got dressed, kissed Mrs. Red good-bye, got in the truck, drove past the scene of a mass-shooting, came into work and wanted to cry.  Above the Law has the story.

HISD Plays Chicken with Texas Legislature

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The Texas Tribune details the Hobson’s Choice facing voters residing within the Houston Independent School.  Under the “Robin Hood” plan HISD is due to send $165 million to poorer school districts subject to voter approval.  The voters can turn down the plan, but then the district faces the prospect of having some of its most expensive real estate figuratively moved to another close-by poorer district.  That is, if the voters say ‘no’ to the incredibly poorly worded proposition on the November ballot, then the state can take some expensive real property off of the HISD rolls and instead assign it to another district to boost its property tax base.  Locals bigwigs are lining up behind the “no” vote in the hopes that the Legislature will blink when faced with the proposition of telling the largest school district in the state that it is stripping away some $18 billion of its tax base.  And the kicker is, the obligation to pay the $165 million is still there – only to be paid by the smaller number of taxpayers.   Red envisions James Dean speeding towards the cliff and this time his sleeve gets caught in the door handle.

Today in Texas History – September 26

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From the Annals of New Spain – In 1736, Carlos Benites Franquis de Lugo arrived in San Antonio to serve as ad interim governor of Spanish Texas.   Franquis was extraordinarily unpopular due to his high-handed approach to administration.  One of his first acts was file criminal charges against Manuel de Sandoval who had been in charge of Texas.  He arbitrarily cut the number of guards at the missions leaving them vulnerable to attack.  He failed at almost every aspect of administration such that the province was near bankruptcy under his rule.  Ultimately he was arrested and accused of “arrogant behavior” a charge that has sadly fallen from favor in the world of criminal jurisprudence.  He stepped down as governor in September 1737,  but was found not guilty of the charges against him.

Ted Cruz – Servile Puppy Dog

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Sen. Ted Cruz (TP-Texas) ended any doubt that he has not a shred of integrity by endorsing Donald Trump for the Presidency today.  Cruz refused to endorse Trump at the GOP Convention and later defended his refusal to do so by stating that he was not a “servile puppy dog.”  Showing some spine, Cruz backed down on his pledge to endorse the GOP nominee when faced with the distasteful prospect of endorsing a reality show con-man like Trump for the most important office on the planet.  So Ted has endorsed a man that claimed his father was involved in JFK’s assassination, called his wife ugly, and who, in his own words, he believes is “utterly amoral”, a “pathological liar” and a “narcissistic bully.”  And those were some of the nicer things Lyin’ Ted had to say about The Donald.  Cruz was clearly running for cover in making the endorsement as it was looking more and more like a failure to endorse Trump would put an end to the one thing that Cruz values most of all – the greater glorification of all things Ted Cruz.

Today in Texas History – September 23

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June 13th, 1977 - Tom C. Clark, former Supreme Court Justice (1949-67), died at 77. Thomas Campbell "Tom C." Clark (b. 1899) was United States Attorney General from 1945 to 1949 and an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1949 to 1967. Clark died in New York City and is buried in Restland Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas.:

From the Annals of the Halls of Justice –  In 1899, Thomas Campbell Clark was born in Dallas.  Clark was born to a family of lawyers.  He naturally attended the University of Texas School of Law graduating in 1922.  He worked in his father’s law firm for several years before becoming a prosecutor in Dallas County.  He later served in the Department of Justice becoming a political ally of Harry Truman.  He worked with Truman to ferret out corruption in the war effort but also to his later regret worked on the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII.  Truman appointed him as U.S. Attorney General from 1945 to 1949 and then appointed him to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1949.  He resigned from the Court in 1967 when his ungrateful son Ramsey Clark was appointed as U.S. Attorney General.  He remains the only Justice of the Supreme Court to have attended law school in Texas.

Red’s Texas College Football Game of the Week

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This week the Javelinas of Texas A&M-Kingsville travel to Commerce to face the Texas A&M Commerce Lions in the battle of Texas A&M satellite schools located in towns that Red doesn’t want to live in.   The Lions have been steamrolling inferior competition in the first 3 weeks of the season.  Take the 62-0 ass-whomping they put on the University of Faith (not a recommended tackling technique) in the season opener. The Lions are averaging 50 points a game so far behind the incredibly accurate (75% completion rate) of QB Luis Perez.   The Javelinas are no slackers but last week’s loss after a step up in competition to Midwestern State probably indicates that they are not ready for the high-powered attack of the Lions – especially on the road in the hostile Piney Woods of East Texas.  This one could last a while.  Lions 55 Javelinas 40.

Red’s NFL Picks – Week 3

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Well crap! Last week Red was 2-4 again, dragging season totals down to 4-8 which, let Red tell ya’, is a hole that is mighty hard to dig yourself out of. And those hanging on to Red’s Sure Bet Pick of the Week, sure lost their shorts and possibly their socks too.  So with trepidation in his heart, Red forges on undaunted by lack of success.

Sure Bet Pick of the Week – Cardinals over Bills. Red is going against the double forward time zone, obverse latitudinal, differential seasonal onset hex on this one.  But the Bills look truly lost and the Cardinals are coming off an absolute shellacking of what Red thinks is a pretty decent Buccaneers team.  Moreover, the Cards have weapons, while the Bills have wounds. After last week’s SBPOW, which had “Seahawks Blowout” written all over it – albeit in disappearing ink, Red is reluctant to call anything sure.  The line looks to be about -4 for the Cardinals right now.  If it drops to -3, jump on it.  Red also likes the under at 47.5.  Arizona 24 Orchard Park 14.

Underdog Pick of the Week – Lions over Packers. The foul odor of defeat is permeating the western shores of Lake Michigan. Something has happened to previously considered god-like A. Rodgers.  His all to mortal feet have been stuck in the permafrost for almost a full season now.  Since last November, the great one has varied between mediocre and terrible.  Rodgers has not posted a QB rating of over 100 in his last 14 games and his 3 fumble, 1 interception game against the Vikings last week made Texans fans start thinking – Hey, Brian Hoyer wasn’t so bad after all.  Don’t get Red wrong, the Lions suck and beating the Packers will not be easy. But that is why they are the UPOW.  Detroit City 31 Green Bay 17.

Rivalry Game Pick of the Week – Giants over OTNAs.  For those who thought Kirk Cousins was the answer in old DC (or environs), Red asks – What was the question?  What will it take for our team to regress from mediocrity back to true suckitude?  What overrated QB can Dumbass Dan over pay this season?  How can we extend almost 25 years of playoff misery?  Where’s my head?  Answers to all these questions and more, next week.  New Jersey 29 Landover, MD 3.

Texas Franchise Pick of the Week – Bears over Cowboys.  For the record, Red is perfectly fine with Dak Prescott being the “new” Tony Romo.  That being the Tony Romo that will end his career having won all of two meaningless first round playoff games and having repeatedly choked his team out of the playoffs in December.  Chicago 13 Arlington 11.

Prime Time Pick of the Week – Saints over Falcons. Only because under this new self-imposed format Red has to pick one of the prime time games and he waited too late to blow it on the Texans-Patriots game. New Orleans 21 Atlanta 10.

Shit Bowl Pick of the Week – Dophins over Browns. Of all the games likely to offend Red’s olfactory senses this season, this one could be the most fetid of all.  Lock up all sharp objects and have some duck tape oven mitts on your hands if you dare to watch this terrible turd tilt, lest ye be tempting sever you carotid artery well before the two minute warning of this one.  Miami 3 Cleveland 2.

Congratulations Mr. Mercilus

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The appropriately named Whitney Mercilus was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.  Mercilus, the Texans OLB, was indeed merciless against the Bears on Sunday. Mercilus recorded four tackles,  two sacks, two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble in Houston’s 23-14 season-opening victory.

Mercilus is an interesting guy to boot.  The University of Illinois graduate of Haitian descent has taken an interest in his adopted city and loves classical music.  Lots of NFL players have so-called foundations which are frequently just a way to pay for a party, but the Mercilus Foundation seems to be the real deal.  According to Mercilus, the focus of the MF “is helping underprivileged families raising kids with disabilities.  It’s what I studied in college – Community Health Disability and Rehabilitation Concentration – essentially helping disabled people with home accommodations, home living, work space, transportation and more.” Expect big things from Mercilus on and off the field.

Today in Texas History – September 15

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From the Annals of Emancipation –   In 1829, Mexican President Vicente R. Guerrero issued the Guerrero Decree. The decree abolished slavery in the Republic of Mexico.  It would be another 46 years before Mexico’s northern neighbor would do the same via the 13th Amendment.  With the Decree, Mexico enacted what Padre Hidalgo had originally decreed with El Grito in 1810—the abolition of slavery in Mexico.

Guerrero’s hatred for slavery was probably linked to his own Mestizo origins.  Being of mixed race – including African heritage – Guerrero refused to identify himself with as being of a particular ethnicity.  He referred to himself as an “Americano” and his only loyalty was to his patria and not with any caste or class of the Mexican nation.

The Guerrero Decree was not well received among the freedom-loving, slave-owning, Anglo residents of Texas who were determined to hang onto their slaves despite what decrees might be issued in Mexico City.  Anglo resistance to the abolition of slavery was a major cause of the Texas Revolution only six years later.

A Translation of the Guerrero Decree

The President of the United States of Mexico, know ye: That desiring to celebrate in the year of 1829 the anniversary of our independence with an act of justice and national beneficence, which might result in the benefit and support of a good, so highly to be appreciated, which might cement more and more the public tranquility, which might reinstate an unfortunate part of its inhabitants in the sacred rights which nature gave them, and which the nation protects by wise and just laws, in conformance with the 30th article of the constitutive act, in which the use of extraordinary powers are ceded to  have thought it proper to decree:

 1st. Slavery is abolished in the republic.

2nd. Consequently, those who have been until now considered slaves are free.

3rd. When the circumstances of the treasury may permit, the owners of the slaves will be indemnified in the mode that the laws may provide. And in order that every part of this decree may be fully complied with, let it be printed, published, and circulated.

 Given at the Federal Palace of Mexico, the 15th of September, 1829.

Vicente Guerrero To José María Bocanegra