The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion. 

Although politics and religion are not completely off-limits, classmates are asked to be positive in their posts and not to be too repetitive or allow a dialog to degenerate into an argument. 

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum.

Jerry May

Janalu, I've read every horse in the race had a connection to Secretariat!

It was a great race considering all the slop and crowded field. Could have been dangerous for horse and rider!

Lowell Tuttle

Actually, every horse in the race had connections to Bold Ruler....Secretariat's Dad.

I see the Rangers have Seager back.   1 hit ans 2 RBI's so far today...Cori Cori

David Cordell

LOVED Secretariat. Small field in the Belmont, but he won by 20+ lengths. Running by himself with no one to push him, setting the track record.

Kentucky Derby

Preakness 

Belmont Stakes

Lowell Tuttle

To those having difficulty logging in, I use Google Chrome as a broweer.   I have been getting the message my user name and password failed.   Then I try again, even possibly again.   Eventually, it gives me a message that my user name and passwords failed, BUT then down below a little it says I am logged in, enter here to continue.

So, I don't know what Class Creator has done with whatever recent security updates they have implemented, but I think if you just continue trying and read their message carefully, it will work.   

These issues have only happened to me over the past two weeks or so...

Good posting.

Lowell Tuttle

Trump (felon) has posted that he wants Homeland Security to open up Alcatraz and start housing prisoners there.

I suggest he buy out all the closed Mall structures in this country, securitize them, house folks there.   You probably could do that in every medium to large size city in the country.

There are going to be a lot more of them with no goods coming in.

David Cordell

Lowell -

Interesting thought. Valley View Mall and Collin Creek Mall have recently been razed.

Not sure if nearby residents would be happy with a prison nextdoor, though. May be more expensive to alter an existing facility than to build from scratch. I'd rather have a prison in the middle of nowhere. There is one in west Texas that we pass sometimes, and I chuckle at the highway sign that warns drivers not to pick up hitchhikers.

Maybe make some floating signs around Alcatraz -- "Don't rescue swimmers." 

David Cordell

Here's a thought about Trump.

He is not a Wall Street guy. He isn't a corporate CEO who looks at quarterly returns. He is a real estate guy who has built quality properties for the long term. He is used to negative cash flows in the short run to generate big positive cash flows in the long run. 

I think he is "gambling" that his tax and tariff plans will pay off in economic activity in the long run even though he, and to some extent the economy, is getting buffeted in the short run. I suspect that he knows that the positive impact won't be fully felt before the 2026 elections, and nothing will happen thereafter if the Democrats win either (or both) houses of Congress.

He is running around with his (excellent) hair on fire because the sooner his policies get in place, the sooner the positive effects will be felt -- hopefully in time to keep Republican control of both houses of Congress. 

David Cordell

Wayne Gary

This past weekend I went to Jefferson, Tx for their Heritage Days and saw the play dealing ith the last day of a trial in 1880 of Abe Rothschild for the murder of Diamond Bessie.  This was real murder that made national attention. The play was comical and I learned that the coroner had his DDB (doctor of dead bodies)..  They have been doing the play for 71 years in a 1890 playhouse.

David Cordell

Anybody know of any of the groups playing at the Wildflower Festival in Richardson?

https://wildflowerfestival.com/stageschedule/

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Wayne,

I was in Jefferson one weekend years ago, when the town was having a tour of some of their old homes.  I really enjoy going into old homes and seeing the interiors, especially when the owners try to maintain the older styles of the era reflective of the homes' building time period.  I think it is much like stepping back in time, and getting a taste of what those days were like in many ways.  My daughter was with me, and noticed a little girl's bedroom in one house, that was the only tiny room on the third floor.  She thought the room was SO perfect for a little girl to have, imaging herself in the room of that long ago era, as she looked out the window down to the front yard of lots of beautiful flowers, spying a little kitten perusing the posies, and swatting at a butterfly.

She was telling me recently that she still remembers that small room's perfectness, and the little kitten in the flowerbed, seen from the window that day.

I think she is beginning to enjoy some of the same things I enjoy, even though she teases me saying, "I'm so different from you, Mom."

David Cordell

Janalu said: "I'm so different from you, Mom."

David reponds: I think one way to cause an argument with one's wife is to say, "You're just like your mother." No, I think that is one way to start divorce proceedings.

Lowell Tuttle

HOA meeting tonight

Subject is neighborhood border walls, built on property owner's land and marked as on their property.   Damage to the walls.

So, we get notices from the HOA advising or warning us that damage to the wall caused by our property's vegetation is our responsibility.   There have been several notifications sent out advising the wall owners of this concern and situation.

The walls are on our property.   The walls are 56 years old.   Eventually, the walls will fall and have to be repaired of replaced.

As far as i can see, the general rule is that the responsibility of the wall being replaced or repaired is TOTALLY upon the owner of the wall.

There is vegetation outside the wall line and property line.   If that "tree" falls and damages the wall, I suppose it is still the property owners responsibility...unless some negligence (as to the tree's exposure) is so recognized.

My question is WHY did the HOA send out these notices?   It is as if the HOA IS responsible for the Wall, but not from property owner's vegatation/tree's damage.   

I am confused on this.   

Of course the wall can be destroyed by wear tear and depreciation, by earthquakes, by floods, by auto's, planes, or other driven objects, by flying or falling objects, by slipping, sliding or otherwise eruption...

So why the letter saying cut down your trees or else?

Anyone deal with  something like this?

Jim Bedwell

I heard on the Will Cain Show today that ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (100%) of the corrupt legacy media coverage of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during Trump's 1st 100 days was NEGATIVE.

Related to this, all 4 major military branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) reached AT LEAST 100% of its recruiting goals the 1st 100 days. 

Also Trump & Hegseth have been constantly bombing the Houthis in Yemen, who have been attacking ships & have now said they will give up those ship attacks. So Trump acknowledged this and said he would stop the bombing of that Shia Islamist group in Yemen that is funded by Iran.

GO PETE & DONALD!! YEE HAW!!!!

David Cordell

Trump To Expand Alcatraz By Putting Up Fence Around San Francisco

May 5, 2025 · BabylonBee.com

U.S. — A new era of dealing with depraved lawbreakers dawned today, as President Donald Trump vowed to reopen and expand Alcatraz by putting up a fence around the entire city of San Francisco.

The new plan, which administration insiders said would be implemented immediately, would turn the city into a prison colony for America's worst criminals, most of whom already reside in San Francisco.

"It's a tremendous idea, frankly," Trump told reporters. "We're going to create one big, beautiful prison city, just like the British did with Australia. We will round up all the bad people in our country and ship them off to Alcatraz, which will now encompass all of San Francisco. We're going to build a big fence all around the city and make California pay for it. Most of the awful people are already in San Francisco anyway, so it's a great idea. We just need it to be bigger."

When asked what effect this expansion would have on other Bay Area residents, Trump was resolute. "If they were good people, they wouldn't live there," he said. "Nothing will make America safer and more secure than fencing off San Francisco from the rest of the country. They're bad folks there. All of them. We'll make sure Nancy Pelosi is in there, too."

Polls showed overwhelming support among Americans for fencing San Francisco off from the rest of the country.

At publishing time, sources said construction on the fence was expected to begin later this week, with future expansion plans to include the entire state of California.

Ron Knight

Lowell

That's exactly why living with a HOA is out of control, UNLESS you sit on the board and can reign in such crazed ideas. Admitted the ones that only want the entry and some landscape work each year are fine, but those that ask for so much more can get out of hand.

David

Bringing back Alcatraz is thought provoking. However, I would extend the wall around Oregon and Washington State as well as California. Let them join Canada and Alberta will join the US. Then we can change the flag back to 48 states.

On another subject

Why not bring back the Gold Standard? I have not heard yet about an audit of Fort Knox. Is the gold still there? That would eliminate just printing more money "willy nilly" and jacking up inflation. It would definitely make us balance the budget. I am sure left wing NGO's would oppose such non-sense as facists idiology. Oh well!!@#$%^

Wayne Gary

Fencing off San Francisco reminds me of the movie "Escape From New York"

Jim Bedwell

David Cordell

I think we are going to watch the movie "The Conclave" tonight. Although I am an Episcopalian, I was baptized Roman Catholic, and most of my cousins are Catholic.

Trivia -- Since the death of Pope Francis, the "acting Pope" has been Kevin Farrell, former Bishop of Dallas.

Bob Wainner

HOA's "Homeowner's Associations"

Over the duration of my "Landscape Architectural Design Career"......I have had to deal with HOA's, their HOA Guidelines/Rules & Issues. I found that many of these HOA's are "difficult" to deal with to say the least. 

One issue that most HOA's don't understand is....that their Guidelines & Rules "cannot" over-ride City or State Laws.  I ran into this issue in The State of Colorado earlier this year. The Landscape Architect's Laws in The Staet of Colorado state that "If you're a Landscape Architect & plan to design a Single-Family Home...you do NOT have to be a "Licensed" Landscape Architect in The State of Architect. Well, the Homeowner I was comunicting with explained to me....that her HOA "requires" a "Licensed Landscape Architect" to provided Landscape Plans for her Home & then submit those plans to the HOA for approval. I explained to the Homeowner.....the HOA can't go against the laws setforth by The State of Colorado.  Just one example...and I didn't get that design job.

With respect to "a Tree falling & damaging a neighbor's fence or wall"...if your tree is health & properly maintained...and it was blown over by a thunderstorm or tornado...this is considered "An Act of God"...so you aren't financially responsible for the fence or wall damage - the neighbor would file a claim with their Homeowner's Insurance to repair the fence or wall.  However, if your tree is in poor health & not being well maintainted.....and happens to fall on to your neighbor's fence or wall....You may be liable for the damage to the fence or wall (or your Homeowner's Insurance would take care of the costs of the fence/wall damage). 

Another issue many people wonder about.  What if a neighborn's large tree has a large branch that's overhanging my yard (over the property line)?  Do I have the right to cut off that branch.  Yes, you do. But it's always a good idea to first discuss the situation with your neighbor first.....and best to hire a professional tree service to cut off the branch (so that by doing so, the existing tree won't be damaged). 

Another HOA story....that involved ME. Back in the year 1999.....my 3rd Wife (Jackie) and I were building a 2 story Queen Anne Victorian Home (on the east side of Lake Lewisville)...on a 1 acre lot....very wooded site. I really didn't even need to landscape that property...I just had enough trees cleared for the Home & Driveway..I felt that GOD did a great job Landscaping that property for us. Besides, almost all of the existing trees on the property are "Post Oaks"...and those trees don't like additional water - like from an irrigation system - so, the idea of a lawn & additional plans was just not going to happen. There were (2) 50 year old Post Oaks at the front & rear of the property (taller than the 2 story home). Well, after our Home was about 75% completed, the HOA gave me a set of my Home Blueprints that was "signed and approved by the HOA". Towards the very end of construction, the painters got busy painting our home. The colors were traditional for a "Victorian Home"...pink, yellow, mediterranean blue, white, etc. Jackie really wanted the "pink", so I went along with her request. After the Home was painted, Jackie and I personally hand painted the posts at the 1st floor and 2nd floor wrap around porches.....with rings of about (5) different colors so that ALL of the posts matched each other. Well.....then the Sh** hit the fan. Several of our neighbors (especially the 2 next door neighbors) had a serious problem with the "pink" colors on our Home. Then, the HOA sent us a letter requesting that we "re-paint" our Home different colors. Well, I "rejected" their request and told them that there was nothing in the HOA's Rules & Regulations that dictate what "colors" a Homeowner can paint their Home...and I pointed out that they had "approved" our Home Plans. I had my "Home Design Studio" on the first floor - right inside the front door......great that I didn't have to commute to a job & I used FED EX to send final "Landscape Architectural Plans" to my clients. One afternoon, TV personality "Steve Stoller" from Dallas' Channel 4 News showed up on my door step along with a camera man (who had one of those big professional shoulder mounted cameras). Steve introduced himself and said that his producer wanted to interview me LIVE on the Channel 4 News....about my contraversal Victorian Home. I told Steve nicely...I don't think so (I've seen way too many people interviewed on TV making fools of themselves...LOL.). But I told Steve that they could video any of the exterior of our Home & that I would answer any questions he had for me. Well, that newstory ended up being at least 10 minutes long & Channel 4 aired if on the news (4) nights in a row. I have a copy of that VIDEO here at home. Even the Mayor of our little community said on the news story that, Hey, this is America, nobody should be able to tell someone what color they should paint their home. I have sense learned.....that that same HOA has NEVER revised their HOA Rules to include a statement that says "The HOA must approve the paint color/s or your Home before construction". BTW, the homes in that area were a very wide variety of styles & construction materials...no (2) alike. That all took place back in 1999...we moved in Christmas Day, 1999. I recently looked up that Home online and it's now valued at TWICE what it was when we moved in. 

Bob

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Bob W.,

Is it possible to show us a photo of that house?

It sounds terrific!

Those old homes had so much beauty, in my opinion.

Bob Wainner

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Wow!  Great house!  So many trees too!

Was this built in a town in Colorade?

I'll bet you and your wife had a wonderful time living there!

Did you do the repairs on the house if they were needed?

It's a beautiful house for sure!

Do you have a picture of the cats too, by chance?   Cats are always adorable, I think.  (I love dogs too!)

Thanks for indulging me!

Bob Wainner

Edit Note:  This "Queen Anne Victorian Home" was built in Oak Point, Texas....located on the east side of Lake Lewisville. 

The previous post is a photo of the front of the "Queen Anne Victorian Home" I had built back in 1999.  It had 3,000 sq. ft.; a 1st floor & 2nd floor "wrap around porch with posts"; (3) Bedrooms with 3-1/2 Baths. I had the builder elevate the finished floor (1st floor) 3 feet...to have steps up (which is traditional for Victorian style Homes). The ceilings were all 10 ft. ht. The Master Bedroom was approx. 30 Ft. x 17 Ft...with double doors leading out to the 2nd floor balcony. The color of the first floor carpet & stairway was "seafoam green"...walls were a pastel green...2nd floor carpet color was a sort of mellow pastel gold & the walls were a pastel gold to compliment the carpet color. The Master Bathroom was exceptionally large...with an oversized Jacuzzi bathtub. Next to the bathtub was a large "non-breakable glass window - 12 F2t. long & 6 Ft. Ht. We could sit in that bathtub and look out at a 50 year old Post Oak Tree that was taller than the Home. I think we had a total of (37) windows in that Home...we wanted to be able to see all of the trees that surrounded the home - I only cut down the minimum number of existing trees to make space for the Home & the curved driveway. The garage was a 3 car garage (and the Garage had 10 Ft. high ceilings as well...with a ton of storage space above the garage). On the roof, we had (2) different "weathervanes"...one was a "cat"...and on the N,S,E,W extention rods was a mouse - chasing the Cat. There was also a "white" wrought iron decorative detail that ran along the length of the top ridge of the roof - I had the contractor "ground" the metal on the roof (due to potential lightening in the area). 

My "Landscape Architectural Design Practice" was doing exceptionally well back then & I was putting in a ton of hours (9 to 12 hour days) - well, when you're the ONLY designer in a design firm...those long hours just come with the terribory. If my design business had not been doing so well we never would have considered building that Victorian Home. Well...after 3 years...we divorced, Jackie moved out & I remained in the Home for approx. 18 mos. before selling it. I was living a bit too large at the time...having a new Corvette and a 5 yr. old BMW Z3 (black) convertible in my garage.....which was totally unnecessary for one man living alone. Eventually sold both cars...and after returning here to Plano on New Years' Eve. - December 31st - 2009 (from Arizona to be with Madalyn)...I purchased another BMW Z3 (atlanta metallic blue) convertible (this one is a 1997 model that I totally resorted)...so, probably the last car I'll need to buy)...well, we really don't need (2) cars as little as we drive - I could sell my Z3 & we have Madalyn's 2024 Chevy Equinox SUV. 

My ex-wife and I took (3) one week vacations to Key West, Florida....and that's where we began to begin to get interested in "Victorian Homes". So, we bought a (1) Acre lot on the east side of Lake Lewisville (very wooded lot)...and began to build 2 years later. Took 9 months to get that Home built. I really miss that Victorian Home.....great floor plan & details...and a very quiet neighborhood with no thru traffic. 

Also back then....my ex-wife was a BIG "cat person" and got me interested in "cats". At one time, we had as many as (13) cats.....LOL. NOW, Madalyn & I have (6) cats. Our (3) new kittens are growing up in a hurry...they're a handful but we're enjoying having them here with us! 

Bob

Lowell Tuttle

Wow.   

A Pope younger than all of us..