Thursday, October 31, 2013

Are you this dedicated to vote?

My son's wife in the Philippines called this morning stranded in a bus station  trying to get home after visiting an island in order to vote.  She and a cousin waited for hours not sure when (or whether)  the bus would arrive. After a long wait the bus arrived at 2:30 in the morning Philippine time.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Caddo school board tries again

The Caddo Parish School Board will try again; the board has selected Dr. Theodis Lamar Goree  as superintendent at a salary of $200,000 a year, beginning a three-year contract  December 1. Congratulations and best wishes for success to Dr. Goree, but I had hoped that the board would find a candidate with success in a business or profession other than one who has spent his life in teaching and related school service.  Over and over again we have tried to improve our schools and have failed.

We acknowledge that school success depends upon these three -- the student, the teacher, and the parents. A poor job by one and the school fails and the student gets a poor education.  Oh, there is a fourth factor -- the teacher's union. While the other three put the student first, the union cares only for the teacher. For schools to operate successfully, school leaders must battle the unions and continue to put  the student first.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Methodist group reports inspiration in Cuba church services

Members of an evangelistic team that just  returned from Cuba were emotional as they took terns reporting to Chrisrt United Methodist Church their participation in Methodist services in the islands.

The tean distributed aspirin and other medicine and worked to repair a church building.  Christ UMC has sent teams to Appalachia, Indian villages, areas hit by Katrina, and  many others.  Some of those who related experiences they had in Cuba said this differed in  that they were inspired by the church services, where members attending would show their joy by dancing and jumping and shouting.

Methodist churches are growing in numbers and members, they said.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

" You may preach like Paul, but you can't sing like Paul

No, it's not a phrase from the bible. I was teasing Joe Hunter, whose first ministerial assignment was to follow Paul Cassells as pastor of White Hall United Methodist Church.  Members of Minden High School's 1943 graduating class met at the home of Polly and Joe Hunter for reminisces and conversation.

That morning we visited the school briefly wher Virginia Foxx presented a enlarged and framed picture of the class. Our class picture was one of 15 which had disappeared from the walls of the school.  According to the picture, 73 were graduated that year.  Only seven were present for the reunion.

We toured a museum, had lunch and visited at the home of the Hunter's.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

We must become self-sufficient in energy

Four decades -- forty years. That is how long the United States has had to take action to  insure no one country or combination of countries can deprive us of the energy we require.  The Saudis anger with Obama  and a threat of an oil embargo force us to face this fact -- we are still vulnerable.

I am among many people who have been calling for the United States to become self-sufficient in energy.
Doing this can be accomplished in a very few  years owing to the increased production of natural gas from shale. Standing in the way are Obama and environmental wackos. Despite Obama our production of oil and gas has increased, almost entirely on private lands.

By the way, Saudi Arabia leads the world in oil but ranks third when natural gas in included.  Then who is the world's leader in oil and gas combined?  No, Russia is second; the United States is the world's leader in oil and gas production, but we still import half of what we use.


A total  of 9.8 million jobs are created by the oiil and gas industry, according to the American Petroleum Institute.   Think what a boost to the economy if we doubled our production.  Would this add some five million good jobs?  I think without doubt.

Louisiana ranks third in oil and gas jobs with 412,600, behind Texas with 1,938,000, and California with 793,000.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Jobs continue to vanish

The employment report just released shows 90,609,000 are not in the labor force.  Obama's policies will continue to take away jobs and damage what's left of our economy.  As I have said numerous times, ALL of his policies are wrong.  Now, on top of all that's wrong, Obamacare sweeps in to damage our health care and destroy additional jobs.

The government continues to go its merry way.  The beloved IRS paid out 132 billion dollars in bogus tax credits over the past decade.

More on our class reunion

I have been thinking about our class re-union this coming Friday, wondering whom I will see and whom I will miss. We had at least one re-union after our sixtieth and planned to meet every two years but one of the leaders passed away and our good intentions failed.

Will we try to walk across the field to be introduced as a class?   I don't know.  I remember, I think it was the fiftieth, Ike Kirkikis wanted to name some one in our class who had attained some degree of fame.  Finding that difficult he resorted to naming those who had served in politics.  He had been a member of the Webster police jury;  Joe Hunter and Jake Crisler had served as members of the Minden town council, and I had been a member of the Homer council, and later mayor.

That we are surviving 70 years after graduating from Minden High is enough recognition for anyone.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Our failing universities

Grambling University's current football troubles are getting national attention due to the fame of long-time coach Eddie Robinson and his football players.  Attention is also called to   the financial woes universities are claiming.  A more in-depth examination spotlights the failures of  some of the state's public colleges to graduate its students.

Not one of the state's public universities is in a position to brag, although LSU in Baton Rouge leads with a graduation rate  of 58.8 per cent based on six years. Other schools include 48.9 for Louisiana Tech, 26.9 for Grambling, 2l.2 for Southern, and 20.0 for University of New Orleans.

On the bottom is Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO),  rated the worst university in America, with a graduation  rate of 4 per cent. That is in the face of 75 per cent of the student body getting  Pell grants. May of those students pad their income with student loans, most of which will never be re-paid.

 Many millions are being wasted. Gov. Jindal tried to merge SUNO with  the University of New Orleans but was defeated as some want black colleges operating despite their inadequacy.  We cannot afford to continue some of these programs.  In some cases students are being cheated; in all millions are wasted.

Friday, October 18, 2013

On preventing falls

Call it coincidence or good timing but after I posted  about my fall yesterday the mail brought a Humana magazine with an article on preventing falls.

I  had given thought to  taking care not to fall, but I was advised to prepare the body to limit the damage from falls.  This can be done by strengthening muscles and bones.  Also very important is finding out why I get dizzy; it could be caused by medicine.

Jessica returns to Duke

Jessica left this morning after spending less than a week with us.  This was fall break but it was necessary for her to do research for three papers due soon after school resumes.  We enjoyed the few days we had with her.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

First --Don't fall

Good advice for the elderly, but sometimes it can't be avoided. I had both  hands on the walker and was going through the hall about 6:30 Tuesday when my mind went blank, my body collapsed, and I fell straight backward. My head bounced and I was aware of what was taking place.  With help I got back on my feet.

I had been having dizzy spells, even getting dizzy when I move my head.  I seem to be getting better today, but I will let my blog rest unless some event calls out loudly for my opinion.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Minden 1943 class plans reunion

Graduates of Minden High School class of 1943 will celebrate with a reunion Friday, October 25. This war-time class will be few in number but those remaining will visit the high school and donate a framed picture of their class.

Looking back at prior reunions, some memories come forward.  I remember  riding a float the year of our 50th reunion and hearing Ike Kirkikis shout to everyone "50 years." We were in good health and most of us were healthy at our 60th reunion although we knew some of us had medical problems. Those included Ike, who still made donuts for our breakfast.

We were in the middle of our  Junior year when Japan attacked Hawaii.  Our lives changed:  For male students physical education changed from touch football to running an obstacle course.

 This class didn't produce a headline maker, but it produced solid, productive citizens.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Church group heads for Cuba.

A group from Christ United Church left early this morning (Monday) for Cuba to help repair and restore a church.  Among the items they took with them was about a hundred pounds of vitamins and medicines.

Several years ago during a time of real hardship many Cuban children went blind, caused, it was later learned, by a lack of needed vitamins. The Methodist Church has been involved in supplying vitamins, especially those for children.

Another thing I hate -- Daylight Saving Time

I have never believed that moving clocks ahead one hour contributed anything worth while.  On the other hand it is inconvenient.  DST was year-round during World War Two.  I had to milk cows in the dark and catch the school bus at 6 real time.  Some kids boarded the bus an hour earlier than that.

Some farmers were convinced that plants got too much sun. Dad told of hearing a desperate woman applying for a job at the Minden shell plant. She kept saying, "Honey, My crops are burned up. They got too hot a sun because of this new time."

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Obama friends escaped obamacare

A long list of Obama friends joins congressmen in gaining waivers from the costs and problems of Obamacare.  Some of these unions and companies have been advocates for the controversial program. I won't bore you with a list of 750 individuals, companies. labor unions and other groups exempt from  the health care law, but here a few."

Living Resources
Local 272 Health Care Fund
Local 388 Affiliated Benefit Fund
Medical Dev. Corp.
SFN Group
Sheet Metal Workers Funds
Southern Operators Health Fund
Rancho Maria PAM




Thursday, October 10, 2013

Gallup polls me again

Gallup got me to complete another survey of my opinions, this one titled  'Governmental and Global Affairs,.'The first question was easy to answer, "How did I rate the way Obama is running the country."  My opinion on whether more or less  should be  spent on such programs as education, space, social security, medicare, etc. was asked.

Whether we are spending too much or too little on our military and whether they are performing well was asked in several ways.  Our relationship with countries including England, Mexico, Israel, Iraq, China and Japan --whether we should operate more less closely with them, was asked.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

I have low opinion of Caddo school board

No one asked for my opinion but I don't give high marks to the Caddo school board in their efforts to hire a superintendent.  Their last several hires have been unsuccessful in improving schools.  Perhaps  the job is too tough for anyone, or perhaps the board's qualifications for the job are wrong.

One qualification that I doubt is in writing is that the persons to be considered must be black.  Do not mistake what I am saying; it is not that we should hire a white person. I am insisting that we choose without regard to race.









Jessica arrives Friday

Jessica will be arriving  Friday to spend some time with us, as the mid-term has arrived.  This semester at Duke Seminary seems like it just began  (maybe  not to Jessica.)

I needed some good news; I had a severe angina attack yesterday, the pain failing to respond to nitroglycerine. When it finally eased, my blood pressure was so low I was too dizzy to walk. I'm better today.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Lowe reunion report


We  were able to visit with people we have not seen reunion two years ago and saw some relatives I have not visited with in more than a decade.

As usual Margaret was in fine form and seemed to be in very good health for her age past 90.  Winston was not able to attend but was represented by a daughter. Some came from long distances to enjoy the fellowship  -- and a great buffet lunch. As has become a tradition, an hour of gospel singing followed.

When these reunions began, the moving force was  the grandchildren of T. T. Lowe. Now it is the great grandchildren who mostly attend.  It is hard to accept that many of those are in their seventies.  Stella reminded us that she is the elder of that generation.

When will young people revolt?

If you are not in that group, you may not realize how badly people under 29 are being treated.  Not
only have their parents and grandparents burdened them with a debt of nearly 17 trillion dollars, they have to pay a tax on payroll to support social security, a benefit they will likely never receive.

Now, Obamacare  will make the young and healthy  pay several times more for health insurance than they should rightly pay.  On top of that, Obamacare may cost their jobs or reduce their jobs to part time.   Here's a few other facts about young people and their unfair treatment: 

Only one-third of adults 18 to 29 have full time jobs;

In 2,000, 80% of those in their late 20's had full time jobs;

One half of college graduates who are working have jobs not requiring a college degree;

In 2011,  53% of adults under 25 were either unemployed or under employed.

Friday, October 4, 2013

What will Obamacare cost you?

I admit I have not read, much less studied, the Affordable Care Act, better known to us unimportant citizens as Obamacare.  Then who does understand it?  We hear something new about it almost every day.

We have less than 90 days to learn what effect it will have on us individually.  Will we have insurance?  What will it cover?  What will it cost?  What doctors will be accessible to us?  One thing we know -- if we cannot get insurance or afford the coverage, the beloved IRS will fine us.

Some people know now that costs will be prohibitive. For example, a young single man has a policy costing him less than 50 dollars a month. For the same coverage Obamacare will cost 175 dollars a month.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Lowe reunion Saturday

Descendants of T. T. Lowe will meet in a reunion tomorrow, October 5.  Few members of the third generation are still alive; most of those attending will be of the fourth and fifth generation.  We will meet at Lake View Methodist Church.

When we began these reunions, Mama was the only representative of the second generation and that was by marriage to Jesse Lowe.

If my health holds up, I plan to attend the reunion of the Minden High School class of 1943 on Friday, October 25.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

A Nation without a soul

A nation which kills its weakest members  -- unborn children and the elderly -- has lost its heart and soul and is on the way to destruction.

Let me remind you Obama people that Obamacare was adopted with votes of only one party, without one vote to spare, and only after arm twisting, threats and bribes. It is a law that is applied unequally, with some individuals and organizations given waivers and Congressmen voting themselves subsidies.

You won't be happy when Obamacare denies you medical treatment  and takes away your job.

Cold in San Francisco

When the USS Pickens was on Magic Carpet duty (bringing troops home) we spent only a few days in San Francisco each trip, just long enough to take on supplies and do needed maintenance.  One day it became my job to meet all crew members returning from liberty and instruct them how to get to the particular Moore's Dry Dock pier the ship had moved to.

I've sometimes said the coldest I have ever been was in August in Frisco.  I was wearing a pea coat, that heavy woolen garment that restricted your movements but failed to keep you warm.  Once I read an article that suggested the navy replace the pea coat with a leather jacked that provided protection from cold and rain.

Within a few miles of San Francisco the temperature can reach a 100 while at the waterfront it is cold, especially early in the morning when fog rolls in.

If my memory is anywhere near right, I had to suffer until 7 a.m., when liberty ended.

Each trip end was a pleasure for some of the crew as their points had accumulated to the amount qualifying them for discharge.  I was so far from that point I refused to think about it.