Category Archives: Texana

Texas wildfires

Posted on April 11, 2009 | Comments Off on Texas wildfires

We thought the smoke in the air yesterday was the usual spring influx from the Chiapan farmers of southern Mexico burning the scrub off their fields to prepare for planting.

But it was actually coming from the northwest, above Fort Worth, where the drought-induced wildfires have burned-out a couple of small towns. Since some one hundred ninety-nine counties are affected so far, the governor has called for help from the national guard and FEMA. More wildfires appear to be burning around the Fort Hood area which is closer to the rancho but still a comfortable distance. Forecast rain tonight and tomorrow will help, if it shows up.

Comments Off on Texas wildfires

Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

Tagged , , , , ,

Texas tall ship: Elissa

Posted on April 10, 2009 | Comments Off on Texas tall ship: Elissa

Lower_topsails_in_Galveston_Channel.jpg

I used to have one of her commemorative key rings, picked up on a trip to UTMB when I was a medical writer. It gave metal detectors at the courthouse fits when I forgot to remove it, so I stopped carrying it. But I didn’t forget the Elissa. One of these days, I might even get to take a ride, though I’ll leave climbing the rigging to the younger ones.

Comments Off on Texas tall ship: Elissa

Posted in Sailing, Texana

Tagged , ,

Chron’s new money-maker: sex

Posted on April 10, 2009 | Comments Off on Chron’s new money-maker: sex

I knew some newspaper executives would figure out a way to make money on the Web. I just didn’t stretch my imagination as far as the Houston Chronicle did. Of course, the money is yet to be made and some readers already think it is just tacky.

Via The Brazosport News.

Comments Off on Chron’s new money-maker: sex

Posted in Library, Scribbles, Texana

Tagged , ,

Battleship Texas

Posted on April 6, 2009 | Comments Off on Battleship Texas

BBS Texas.jpg

She rarely moves today. Cub scouts get to spend the night in her lower decks. She was new in 1914, was refurbished and reequipped many times, fought in WW1, received one of the first radar-assisted gun directors in the 1930s, and fought in WW2: among other things, escorting convoys across the Atlantic, firing support for the Normandy beachheads on D-Day in 1944, and also for the later Pacific landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Comments Off on Battleship Texas

Posted in Texana

Tagged

We used to run in boots

Posted on April 6, 2009 | Comments Off on We used to run in boots

But the Army did not, and does not, make commercials as good as this Marine one. As the H.E.B. checker-military brat joked one time when she saw my ARMY cap: "Ain’t Ready For Marines Yet?" Not on the recruiting score.

Comments Off on We used to run in boots

Posted in Blogosphere, Infantry OCS, Texana, Troops

Tagged , , ,

Guns on campus, etc.

Posted on April 1, 2009 | Comments Off on Guns on campus, etc.

The daily, which usually opposes wider gun privileges, is off to a good start on this Texas legislation to allow folks with training and concealed-carry permits to tote their guns to college campuses, businesses and even bars. Most of Big Media is predictably beating the drum against this latest Texas insanity, etc.

I favor the changes. Not that I don’t realize it could become messy in some situations. But as it stands now anyone, from crazed student to embittered ex-employee, knows his victims are almost certain to be unarmed. Because it’s the law. Take that certainty away and you very likely could stop some, if not all, of the periodic mass murders on campus, at work, even at church, which we’ve all become unnecessarily inured to. Relying on the police to arrive in time and do it all is the real insanity.

UPDATE:  Indeed, get this from report of the latest massacre: "Police heard no gunfire after they arrived but waited for about an hour before entering the building to make sure it was safe for officers." Makes you feel real protected, right? At best, your loved ones will get an "investigation" after your funeral.

Comments Off on Guns on campus, etc.

Posted in Texana

Tagged , ,

How you gonna keep ’em down on the ranch?

Posted on March 27, 2009 | Comments Off on How you gonna keep ’em down on the ranch?

For those who just can’t get enough cowbell in their music, there’s finally a genuine solution here.

Via Dustbury.

Comments Off on How you gonna keep ’em down on the ranch?

Posted in Blogosphere, Texana

Tagged