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 – April 23i

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From the Annals of Modern Art –  In 1892, a group of Fort Worth socialites obtained a charter from the State which established the Fort Worth Public Library Association.  The FWPLA was the first seed of what would become the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth – the oldest art museum in Texas.  The Charter provided that the purpose of the FWPLA was “the accumulation of paintings and artistic work of every character for the enjoyment and cultivation of our people. ”  The works were initially displayed in the Art Gallery of the Carnegie Public Library in 1901.  The name evolved over the years from the Fort Worth Museum of Art, to the Forth Worth Art Center, to the Fort Worth Art Center Museum, to the Fort Worth Art Museum.  The naming frenzy settled down in 1987 and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth has been in place since 1987. The museum “is dedicated to collecting, presenting, and interpreting international developments in post–World War II art in all media and creating a welcoming environment for its public appreciation.”  Its incredible collection is housed in a spectacular building designed by Tadao Ando and is located in the Fort Worth Cultural District along with the Kimbell Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum.  Together they are perhaps the most spectacular collection of centrally located art museums in the entire country. Red’s  personal favorite is the massive Anselm Kiefer painting located in the gallery behind the main entrance.

Fat, Drunk and Stupid is No Way to Go Through College Son

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Cody Nichols, a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity at Texas State University, is reported to have paid over $1,200 for a cab ride from New Orleans to the fraternity house in San Marcos this past weekend.  Nichols reported a story to Total Frat Move  (who knew?) in which he was drinking on Bourbon Street when he got separated from his date and his group, then lost his phone in a fight in front of his hotel, jumped in a cab to avoid arrest and told the driver to take him to his frat house.  The driver balked telling Nichols that it would cost over $700, but Nichols pulled out his credit card and off they went.  Nichols apparently was very confused as he thought he was on 6th Street in Austin.  A $1200 cab ride later, he was back in San Marcos.  But Nichols wasn’t through yet.  He allegedly spent another $400 to fly back to New Orleans to meet back up with his disgusted date and the rest of the group for the bus ride back to San Marcos.

The parents must be very proud.  Red is the first to admit that he did a few things in his younger days that might not look so good on the resume, but nothing like this. Red also has to admit that Nichols is not fat.

NFL Releases 2015 Shedules

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The NFL released the 2015 Season schedules on Tuesday.  As usual the Texans get short shrift in prime time and late afternoon national TV games and in scheduling in general.  The Texans have not a single 3:30 start and have all of 2 prime time games – one of which is the mandatory Thursday night game against the Colts at home and a Monday night game at the Bengals.   Plus, there are home games on the weekends before and after Thanksgiving (difficult for Red to attend because of travel, family, etc.).  At least there aren’t home games around Christmas.  All in all, a pretty pathetic schedule.

Here is the Texans Schedule:

Sunday, Sept. 13 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Noon CBS
 Sunday, Sept. 20 at Carolina Panthers Noon CBS
Sunday, Sept. 27 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS Noon FOX
Sunday, Oct. 4 at Atlanta Falcons Noon CBS
Thursday, Oct. 8 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 7:25 p.m. CBS/NFLN
Sunday, Oct. 18 at Jacksonville Jaguars Noon CBS
Sunday, Oct. 25 at Miami Dolphins Noon CBS
Sunday, Nov. 1 TENNESSEE TITANS Noon CBS
Sunday, Nov. 8 BYE
Monday, Nov. 16 at Cincinnati Bengals 7:30 p.m. ESPN
Sunday, Nov. 22 NEW YORK JETS Noon CBS
Sunday, Nov. 29 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Noon FOX
Sunday, Dec. 6 at Buffalo Bills Noon CBS
Sunday, Dec. 13 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Noon CBS
Sunday, Dec. 20 at Indianapolis Colts Noon CBS
Sunday, Dec. 27 at Tennessee Titans Noon CBS
Sunday, Jan. 3 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Noon CBS

Let’s go up the road to Arlington. How did the Cowboys fare? As usual, the team that has won exactly 2 – count ’em 2 – playoff games in the last 20 years gets all the goodies.  The Cowboys have 5 prime time games to go with 6 national TV late afternoon games (including Thanksgiving) – only one of which (against Seattle) is actually time-zone related.  That  means 11 of the 16 regular season games for this absolutely mediocre franchise will be nationally televised. And they play on Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.  It wouldn’t be so bad if this didn’t happen every year.  Jerry Jones must have some awesome pictures.

Here is the Cowboys schedule – I hope they  go 5-11.

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13, vs. New York Giants (6-10), 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20, at Philadelphia Eagles (10-6), 3:25 p.m. (FOX)

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27, vs. Atlanta (6-10), noon (FOX)

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4, at New Orleans (7-9), 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 11, vs. New England (12-4), 3:25 p.m. (CBS)

Week 6: Bye week

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 25, at New York Giants (6-10), 3:25 p.m. (FOX)

Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1 vs. Seattle (12-4), 3:25 p.m. (FOX)

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8, vs. Philadephia (10-6), 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 15, at Tampa Bay (2-14), noon (FOX)

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22, at Miami (8-8), noon (FOX)

Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 26, vs. Carolina (7-8-1), 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Week 13: Monday, Dec. 7, at Washington (4-12), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13, at Green Bay (12-4), 3:25 p.m. (FOX)

Week 15: Saturday, Dec. 19, vs. New York Jets (4-12), 7:25 p.m. (NFL Network)

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 27, at Buffalo (9-7), noon (FOX)

Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3, vs. Washington (4-12), noon (FOX)

We Just Knew Greg Abbott was a Closet Socialist

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The Texas Tribune  reports that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s committee of hand-picked Tea Partisans has come out against Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to boost Pre-K education in Texas.

In a letter dated Tuesday, the lieutenant governor’s Grassroots Advisory Board, filled with Tea Party activists and appointed by Patrick, called House Bill 4 and Senate Bill 801 “a threat to parental rights.” The bills are aimed at improving the quality of the state’s pre-K programs at a cost of about $130 million over the next two years.

“We are experimenting at great cost to taxpayers with a program that removes our young people from homes and half-day religious preschools and mothers’ day out programs to a Godless environment with only evidence showing absolutely NO LONG TERM BENEFITS beyond the 1st grade,” the letter said.

So the Tea Party is against giving the children of the poorest of the poor anything that might interfere with options that very few of them are likely to take anyway.  Okay.  Red might even concede that Pre-K programs aren’t as effective as we would like, but that is hardly an argument for shutting them down or not trying harder.  And the argument that Pre-K programs keep parents from choosing other options also might be legitimate if it were backed up with any facts.  Of course, it isn’t.  Facts and the Tea Party really don’t get along that well.  Facts tend to interfere with a reactionary agenda based on fear and loathing.  But wait, there’s more.

The Tea Party-infused group, put together at the beginning of the session to advise Patrick on major policy initiatives, said that if the $130 million program becomes law, “Texas would be sending the message to the rest of the nation that parents do not or cannot love and care for their children as well as the state can.”

It also associated the pre-K program, which has already passed the Texas House with overwhelming support, with socialism.

“This interference by the state tramples upon our parental rights,” the letter said. “The early removal of children from parents’ care is historically promoted in socialistic countries, not free societies which respect parental rights.”

Yes, Texas parents – show how much you love your children by refusing to send them to public school.  Patrick should be ashamed of having put this group of morons together.  But as with facts and the Tea Party – shame and Dan Patrick are not even remotely acquainted.

What’s Next – the Official State Capital for Lung Disease?

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Texas cities are hankering to get an “Official State Capital” designation for a variety of reasons.  The Legislature is generally eager to hand these out.  myhighplains.com reports on some of the current efforts to achieve immortal fame for some small Texas towns.  For the curious, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission maintains a list of official state capital designations which have been approved by the Legislature.

Jasper wants to be the official Butterfly Capital of Texas; Hico covets the nod for official Steak Capital; and Jim Hogg County wants to be known as the Vaquero Capital.

Hoping to add Hico to that list, state Rep. J.D. Sheffield, R-Gatesville, told the committee the city of 1,300, is home to the annual Texas Steak Cookoff, which draws about 7,000 people one Saturday every year.

“We depend on tourism. It’s a very integral part of us surviving,” said Mike James, executive director of the Hico Economic Development Board.

Several members of the committee grilled Sheffield on his proposal. State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, asked Sheffield, a physician, if he encouraged patients to consume a lot of red meat. Sheffield said Hico was a “great place to go if you love slices of dead cow in various stages of preparation.”

In the interest of full disclosure, Red fully supports designating Hico as the Official Steak Capital of Texas.  Hico hosts the Texas Steak Cookoff on the third Saturday every May.  Red and family have participated for the last several years – even sporting a 7th Place finish a few years ago.  The Cookoff is a lot of fun and helps boost the Hico economy.

Today in Texas History – April 22

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From the Annals of the Conquistadors – In 1540, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado left Culiacán in charge of an expedition to search for the fabled Seven Cities of Cíbola.  The quest was sparked by tales from Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca who with his other companions (including Estavanico) had wandered for several years in their attempts to return to New Spain after being shipwrecked in Texas.  Cibola did exist, but the “cities” were not made of gold.  Rather they were Zuñi villages in western New Mexico including the spectacular “Sky City” pueblo at Acoma.  Undeterred, Coronado set out in search of Quivira a region to the east also rumored to be rich in gold and silver. Coronado wandered somewhat aimlessly across the Llano Estacado and parts of the Great Plains discovering Palo Duro Canyon, but never found any riches.  Upon his return, Coronado was held to account for the failed expedition and his conduct as governor of Nueva Galicia. He was cleared of charges in connection with the expedition, but on some of the other charges was fined and lost his commission.

Has Long Has it Been Since We Bashed Ted Cruz? Well that’s too Long!

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Actually this time we will let John McCain do the bashing for us.  On the peripatetic campaign trail, Sen. Cruz claimed that  he had been “pressing” Sen. McCain to hold hearings on gun restrictions on military bases.  McCain responded that Cruz had never mentioned anything about it to him, and then seized the opportunity to make Cruz look foolish – not that difficult a task it seems – but always worth the effort.  The Daily Kos reports on McCain’s take on Cruz’s credibility.

 “I was fascinated to hear that because I haven’t heard a thing about it from him. Nor has my staff heard from his staff,” McCain said of Cruz (R-Texas). “It came as a complete surprise to me that he had been pressing me. Maybe it was some medium that I’m not familiar with.” […]

McCain went to great lengths to ridicule Cruz for suggesting the two had discussed the issue. He joked that perhaps Cruz was bouncing messages off the “ozone layer.”

“Maybe it was through, you know, hand telegraph. Maybe sign language,” McCain said. “Ask him how he communicated with me because I’d be very interested. Because who knows what I’m missing.”

Ted, Ted, Ted. You just don’t piss off crotchety old SOB’s like McCain without expecting some retribution.  But McCain outdid himself with this one.  It takes a special kind of enmity to break out the ridicule stick and smack you around like this with it.  And in Ted’s case it is no doubt well-deserved and keeps him firmly entrenched as the senator most hated by his colleagues.

Finally Some Good News from Falling Oil and Gas Prices

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Scientists claim to have established that the spike in earthquakes in the DFW area can be traced to saltwater injection – a byproduct of drilling and fracking operations.  The Associated Press reports that a study has linked the small earthquakes occurring west of Fort Worth to nearby natural gas wells and wastewater injection.

And the good news?  With reduced fracking activity and the resulting injection of wastewater, it is predicted that there will be fewer earthquakes.

In 84 days from November 2013 to January 2014, the area around Azle, Texas, shook with 27 magnitude 2 or greater earthquakes, while scientists at Southern Methodist University and the U.S. Geological Survey monitored the shaking. It’s an area that had no recorded quakes for 150 years on faults that “have been inactive for hundreds of millions of years,” said SMU geophysicist Matthew Hornbach.

When the volume of injections decreased significantly, so did the shaking.

The scientists concluded that removing saltwater from the wells in the gas production process and then injecting that wastewater back underground “represent the most likely cause” for the swarm of quakes, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.

The scientists determined this based on where and when the earthquakes happened; computer models that track pressure changes; and company data from nearby wells. Hornbach said the timing and location of the quakes correlates better to the drilling and injection than any other possible reason.

“There appears to be little doubt about the conclusion that the earthquakes were in fact induced,” USGS seismologist Susan Hough, who wasn’t part of the study team, said in an email. “There’s almost an abundance of smoking guns in this case.”

Was Rick Perry’s Texas Miracle Based on Anything Other than High Oil Prices?

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Rick Perry may no longer be able to point to the so-called Texas Miracle if he decides to run for President.  It turns out that the miracle may have been nothing more than the result of an oil boom that boosted the entire State’s economy and had nothing to do with Perry’s misguided policies.  The Wall Street Journal reports that Texas continues to lose jobs in the wake of falling oil prices.  JP Morgan Chase economist Michael Feroli had reported in 2014 in that Texas’s economy was in for serious problems  based on his analysis of the effect of rapidly declining oil prices.  Richard Fisher who was then President of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank likened Feroli’s report to “bull shit.”  But Feroli may be getting the last laugh at Texas’ and Rick Perry’s expense.

Mr. Fisher, who has since retired as Dallas Fed president, argued Texas was no longer tied to the fate of the oil industry. He said the Lone Star State had diversified itself considerably and could withstand the big drop in oil prices and continue to be an engine of growth for the nation.

In a new report, Mr. Feroli was back to say he was right, and Mr. Fisher was wrong. “The only thing dropping in the Texas economy lately is the number of jobs,” he said in a report. The economist said Texas is now seeing the sort of job losses that would normally occur only in a recession.

Mr. Feroli pointed to a report from the Texas Workforce Commission showing the state lost 25,400 jobs in March. He said a proportional loss on the national scale would be if the U.S. lost 304,000 jobs – a recession-like outcome not seen in some time.

Anyone in this state with half a brain (and that would not include most of our politicians) knew that high oil prices were boosting the economy in ways that would not be sustained at say $50 a barrel.  You don’t see 20 new hotels on the loop around Victoria during regular times.  And you don’t pay $269 a night to stay at a Holiday Inn Express in San Angelo just to eat at the Cork and  Pig Tavern.   When Schlumberger and Halliburton are laying off tens of thousands of workers, the ripple effects are just beginning to be felt.  The Texas Miracle was always a bunch of hooey.  Texas leads the nation or is near the top in all the negative categories such as children living in poverty, overall poverty rates, citizens on food stamps, high school dropouts, numbers of uninsured and many other things.  Texas Miracle indeed! Rick Perry can go around the nation touting his right wing, anti-consumer, corporate giveaway nonsense all he wants – but nobody is likely to be listening now.

Blue Bell Expands Recall to All Products

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Texas iconic ice cream maker Blue Bell has recalled all of its products after discovering Listeria in yet another product.  The Brenham-based company had already recalled all products from its Broken Arrow, Oklahoma plant, but now is stripping the shelves of all of its products.  The Dallas Morning News reports that the recall sent grocers scrambling to remove the delicious treats before customers could purchase more.  The recall raises questions about what could have been done to prevent the outbreak.

Kroger spokesman Gary Huddleston said Blue Bell notified the grocer about the recall shortly before 5 p.m. Monday.

“We’ve pulled everything, and now we wait for Blue Bell to tell us what to do with it,” he said. The grocer is calling all its customers who purchased Blue Bell products, asking them to bring the items back to the store for a refund.

The company faces the prospect of trying to get its production on track by Memorial Day, when the peak season for ice cream sales begins. “They say they’re making this right, before then,” Huddleston said.

Food safety attorney Bill Marler said he was “not particularly surprised” by the announcement.

Once tests show Listeria is in a finished product it is likely it is in the manufacturing facility, which is tough to combat, he said.

“Now that it’s expanded, it shows that Listeria is endemic in their plants,” he said.

“What is sad about the Blue Bell situation, had it had more thorough testing of product and more thorough cleaning of its plant and equipment beforehand, an outbreak could have been avoided. The devastation to Blue Bell’s customers and its reputation could have been avoided,” he said.

Image from cookingforengineers.com