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.

David Cordell

Lowell, yes, the two-party system has its flaws. Like, how did we end up with two bozos? And it's not the first time.

Sandra, Kamala was a DEI pick as VP. She had run for president in 2020, but dropped out before any primary election. Exactly zero votes. She certainly wasn't chosen for her ability to turn a red state blue. She was chosen so Biden could say, "Look! I chose a Black woman!"

Dems are running away from the Border Czar monicker, but it is a big lie. I was looking for verification of the exact verbiage of her interview with Lester Holt and the first article I found was from The Hill, no conservative mouthpiece, on June 8, 2021.

Holt: 'But you haven't been to the border"

Harris: "And I haven't been to Europe, either."

Preceeding that exchange, The Hill stated: "Holt repeatedly noted that Harris, who is charged in the Biden administration with handling the flow of Central American migrants at the border, hasn’t actually been to the border." 

So, what are those root causes? I'm pretty sure a middle schooler could write this up in a weekend. Did Kamala issue a report? How long does it take to figure this out? Let's see. Do poverty and lack of opportunity have anything to do with it? How about repressive governments? Would it be helpful to talk to some of the immigrants?

By the way, Kamala's campaign denies that she would oppose fracking as president. She is clearly on video stating that she opposes fracking and offshore drilling. 

"Kama, Kama, Kama, Kama, Kama-chameleon"

David Cordell

Sandra, I forgot to address the proposed legislation that Democrats and Republican Senator Lankford promoted. It would have allowed 5,000 immigrants per day. Remember that Obama Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson said that 1,000 per day was a problem. 5,000 per day equates to over 1.8 million per year. I will readily admit that Republicans can be dopes sometimes.

Wayne Gary

Lowell,

Under "Articles of Confedration" the was no executive branch or judiciak branch.  The Constutuin established the 3 branches of the government.  Geotge Washington was our first president under the Constutuin Presidential term: April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797.

President Biden publicly appointed VP Harris as his "Border czar" (the term czar has been used by the media to a person tasked by the President to be incharge if a policy) to look at the border problem and propose changes and cordinate solutions.  It was over a year before she made her first trip to the Texas border then only went to El Paso for a photo/press op.

From the Christian Science Monitor "The term “czar” has been used by the media and policymakers for decades to describe certain government officials, especially as a quick substitute for complicated official titles. Franklin D. Roosevelt had a czar for shipping during World War II; Richard Nixon had an “energy czar” in the 1970s; and George W. Bush and Barack Obama both had over 30 officials in their administrations dubbed with that term, writes Tom Shoop, former editor-in-chief of Government Executive Media Group. T

The 12 th amendment ratified June 15, 1804 changed the election of the President and VP,

In an impeachement trial the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court sits as the Judge in the trial in the Senate not the VP.

Ron Knight

Sandra

Thank you for your post. It is a breath of fresh air that we can converse here without getiing personal towards one another. Many of us know I am not a Trump fan. To me it's personal. I just don't like the guy. He is too much of a New York ego eccentric jerk. I did not vote for him in 2016. I wish there was a qualified alternative out there, but there isn't. I am going to vote for him this time, only because in my mind he is the best of the two evils. In essence I am not voting for Trump but instead I am voting against Harris. And why I say that is that he is far more qualified to handle the job.

Kamala has no clue in Foreign Affairs. China, Russia and Iran are not going to take her seriously. Those countrys view women differently than men and not as equals. Hillary Clinton would come far more close to commanding respect from those countrys. Hillary is tough! 

Harris has never been in the real world of business. She has mainly been in public office. She simply does not have the expertise it takes to handle the economy. This strikes close to home. My daughter who interned under Cathy Cox, the Secreatary of The State Of Georgia at the time and the person who directly influenced my daughter to change from a Republican, placed her with the best law firm in Atlanta after she passed the bar. After only a few short years with the firm Kim broke out on her own and started her own practice. After a couple of months I got a call to help her with her business. She now has had her own practice for almost 20 years. The point being is that while yes Kamala is an attorney that doesn't mean she knows anything about running a company, much less the top economy in the world.

Like it or not, Harris will always be tied to the border and the failure of what has happened under the Biden watch. Just a simple cursory look at the polls on that one item is eye opening. Recently a poll showed Trump with an 89% to 6% lead over Harris. She will have to come up with real substance with a plan to reverse those numbers.

Issues on abortion will be deflected to the individual states.It may be tried to become a National issue by the Dems but it will lose steam because of it now being determined by each state.

I really feel the election will be won or lost on three key issues; Economy, Border and Foreign Affairs. If I had no horse in the race ( but I do by defacto) I would have to analyse the horses that are in the race and I only see Trump that will win on the trifecta of the key issues.

BTW

How are you and Danny doing? And why is RFK, Jr not more prevalent in the Democratic Party????? He could beat Trump!! The far Right wing views Obama as the "Puppet Master" for the Dems. He calls the shots?????

Ron Knight

 Tommy, Jan, Sandra, Lowell and Hollis

I love you guys. I know you are on the other side of the Isle- who cares!!! To Tommy, Lowell and Jan we have known each other forever it seems. We did not care back in those days what our Party affliation was in Heights Elementary, Junior High or @RHS. And to me it makes no difference today.

Sandra, I knew of you  @ RHS but did not know you as I have over the last few years. It was my loss. And Hollis, the same applies - my loss.

If I am able I will make the 55th and hope to see all of you.

Ron

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Tommy,

The first time I saw your post, #31162, I briefly skimmed it, but didn't click on the video in that post, since I was in a hurry.

Today, I went back and watched the video.

You have pointed out several times the posts that have offended you on this forum, so I feel free to point out to you that what that featured man said about Christians was quite offensive to me and I'm sure to other Christians. The comments were basically mean-spirited and statements one might expect from a poorly educated person. The other comments about Trump and so-called "MAGA" people, (of which I do not consider myself identified)  I couldn't care less. 

I'm truly surprised that you found them hilarious.  You have Christian relatives, do you not?

You're a better person than that post suggests, and you have good manners, I DO believe.

When I see you next, I'm gonna swat your arse, and twist-pinch your nose.  I may even give you a hard flick of my strongest flickin' finger with thumb combo, in Mr. Leewright fashion, against your vulnerable and tender, nerve-saturated temple.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Ron,

Yes, we are at odds over politics and probably religion too.  Viva la différence!  Bottom lines is, I can't change your mind and you can't change mine either.  It is the way it is and it should not affect our friendship.  Your latest post did jog  my memory of something I posted on my profile page the week David and I launched this website.  There were a series of questions regarding our feelings about things in the past and future.  It is the following one I remembered today and copied here for reference.

What is your view of the future now versus your view in 1969?

I have faith in the young people of our country. I see more and more of them learning from the mistakes of past generations. I think we are on the verge of a better future with the help of a new generation with fresh ideas and stronger ideals.

I was too young in 1969 to have an established view of the future. I do remember thinking the older generation (my parents) was old fashioned and set in their ways. I thought at the time they needed to adapt to an ever changing world and were resisting change. Now we are the older generation and are resistant to change. Change can be a force for good.

I still believe this.  I have hope the younger generation, your kids, my kids and their children can bring about change for the better.  A stronger future with more unity, less division, less fear and replaced with hope and open minds with welcoming hearts.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Ron,

By the way, if Kamala is a DEI hire, doesn't that make Clarence Thomas one too?  Or does he get a by because he is a black man?  Did he ever go into business?  Nah....He did get a DEI thing to go to college.  I guess that is why he is so dead set against it.  It boggles the mind....

Did I ever tell you I was a DEI hire too?  Back in the day, (early 70's when I could not have a bank account without either my daddy or my husband okaying it) hiring a woman, any woman was a dicey thing to do.  But some savvy CEO's and bosses saw it as an opportunity.   That was me.  In my interview with Glitsch, the VP of Process Engineering, Layton Kitterman, now deceased, asked me point blank, "Are you a women's libber?".  I stood there on the brink, realizing all at once how badly I needed this job to deal with a whole host of issues I was facing, money the least of them, and held my breath and answered, "Yes".  He hired me on the spot.  Told me women's libbers tried harder.  I got my foot in the door and worked there 10 years and managed to get on salary despite the fact I had no college degree.  To say I had to try harder is an understatment.  I worked my ass off.  Trust me, Kamala has had to do the same double.  No one handed her anything.  She is tough and it is the reason I am too.

David Cordell

Sandra, 

You have a good point about Justice Thomas. However, there are a couple of other points to consider.

First, precedent had been set. That is, Thurgood Marshall broke the color barrier on the Supreme Court, and it seemed reasonable to maintain Black membership on the Court roughly proportional to Black population percentage in the U.S. Note that now there are two Black justices, far higher than the percentage of Black people in the population.

Second, Justice Thomas has a much more interesting life story than Harris, and I think that coming up from dire poverty gives him a different and important perspective.

Ron Knight

Sandra

Yes good point on Clarence Thomas. At the time I did not support him because of the sexual harassment allegations against him. In your hire as a DEI hire you clearly must have had the qualities along with the qualifications for your hire. And that is my key point- Qualification for the job. Too many are given the job and fail miserably because of lack of qualification. Kim Cheatle was in over her head and showed extreme weakness under fire by the Senate Hearings, which was bi-partisan in agreement to ask for her resignation.

And yes we can be friends and agree to disagree on certain subjects. Life would be boring if everyone agreed on everything!

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Ron,

Actually, I had no qualifications for the job at all.  I failed algebra in high school and had to take related math.  I went to Miss Wade's Fashion Merchandizing School in lieu of college and got a "degree" in Fashion Merchandizing.  The job I applied for was Engineering Aide, assisting chemical enginieers in the design of fractionation equipment for refinery towers which do distillation.  My general working experience was strickly retail, specifically Oshman's Sporting Goods and Corrigan's Jewelers.  When my new boss, Mike Binkley, who worked under Layton found out I was hired while he was on vacation he nearly flipped out.  (Mike confessed this to me months later when I was deemed "capable and actually pretty good at the job" - like I said, I worked my ass off and studied, studied, studied).  My first day in Mike's office he had to explain to me how a fractionation column worked using a coffee percolator as an example.  When I told Mike I failed math in high school his eyes nearly popped out.  You gotta hand it to me, I was honest.  I was sent to the Process Engineering work pool where Danny, also an Engineering Aide recently transferred from the drafting department, trained me on the computer and patiently taught me basic math skills and how to calculate percent flood on my newly acquired TI calculator sans my father.  Layton probably had his eyes on my ass when he hired me. I suffer from no illusion that it was because he was dazzled by my intellect.  They kept me for these simple basic reasons; I made them lots of money, my initial salary was dirt cheap and I was easy on the eyes.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Ron,

Almost forgot!  I had only one qualification.  Drafting.  I took drafting in high school and therefore could read blueprints!  That was the only qualification I had for that job!

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

David,

Technically, both Clarance Thomas and Thurgood Marshall were appointed positions.  Kamala, on the other hand was elected to all of her offices.  The people chose her.  I don't think that qualifies and a DEI hire.  Just sayin...

Jan Alexander

Wasn't going to post this , cuz it is unless, but there are reasons for being against fracking.. but when David said this, I thought of this..."By the way, Kamala's campaign denies that she would oppose fracking as president. She is clearly on video stating that she opposes fracking and offshore drilling. "

After 61 earthquakes in Scurry county , Texas,  all within 6 days this past week…. The continued debate that the disposal of waste fluids from oil production and fracking plays a significant role in the growing number of tremblers. The County Judge declared a State of Disaster Friday , following the largest Friday of 5.1 magnitude..
"While the rate of earthquakes has been steady since 2021 , with 200 to 200 magnitude 3.0 or larger annually, the potential for larger earthquakes cannot be ruled out.

The county next to Ft. Collins ,Weld county CO.  has been overwhelmed with oil and gas and fracking.. and have had alot of abandoned oil well plug fails, recent years.. 

Atleast fracking in East Texas are usually in rural areas... compared to many near homes and urban areas , like in Colorado..  

Jan Alexander

Then there is this ... abandoned oil well plug fails in Weld County. 

and then this.. Colorado’s costs to plug abandoned oil and gas wells shifting from taxpayers to companies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE5jfIMOjeY

Ron Knight

Sandra cudos for tuffing it out and clearly working your butt off to get quailified as quickly as you could. And yes male chauvinists were running amuck back when you were hired. 

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Tommy,

Isn''t there a difference between a sexually harrassing person and a sexual predator?

I don't think Clarence Thomas attacked Anita Hill or any other woman.

I DO think there was sexual attraction or sexual tension going on between those two, with salacious teasing going on, which became harrassment, but then, it looks as though the FBI released information that should not have been released, which is confounding to me.  It appears that Ms Hill never wanted any public notice to come to light, and she was not pleased at all with what the FBI did.

It sounds like Ms Hill went to the second place of employment where Thomas had gone, probably because she was interested in continuing some type of relationship with him, with hope that they could develop a lasting relationship that would be mutually satisfying.

It seems like this is a "He said"  "She said" type of situation, that only the two people know about, so unless they each come out with the truth, we will not know of it.

If Ms Hill was so greatly offended and disgusted with Clarence Thomas' harrassment at the first place of their employment, then why would she subject herself to more possible harrassment by going to the second place of employment voluntarily?  Her doing that suggests to me that she was not really THAT annoyed or insulted by Thomas, so she went to see what could happen at the second place, with high hopes.

Jim Bedwell

Kamala had 5 pieces of legislation that she came up with as a US Senator. None of them passed.

She prosecuted and put in jail hundreds of people for possession of marijuana. Then she cackled when asked about her own marijuana use. She finally came around to support marijuana legalization, which in my personal view is her only good decision on anything - weed should never have been illegal.

She opposed California's proposed ban on affirmative action, a policy of legalized discrimination (so discrimination in the other racial direction, as opposed to the pre-1960's de facto discrimination of minorities in various ways).

She stated she wants to reduce legally the consumption of red meats.

She stated she wanted to ban plastic straws.

She has consistently supported the ridiculous gun control measures.

She has stated that she wants to end private insurance by having that function taken over by the government. Therefore she supports Medicare for all, including for the illegal aliens, all of which this country cannot afford to do (PERIOD).

She obviously has supported the illegal, immoral, & unconstitutional ignoring of our laws in the 3.5-year illegal alien invasion, solely for the purpose of eventually harvesting the millions of votes of perceived future Democrat voters.

She has stated publicly her misguided vision of "reimagining" the use of police force and starting from scratch in destroying and then rebulding that societal function (so social workers with pensions? similar to the Border Patrol with their transformation into Walmart-like greeters with pensions?).

She said during the 2020 post-George-Floyd "peaceful" riots that the rioters needed to continue with that. Plus she supported bailing out the arrested in Minnesota, who were the ones there perpetrating the significant damage and violence.

She has consistently supported the "Green New Scam", as the Donald has accurately described that portion of the Dem war on oil and gas in their recently acquired climate-change religion (hey, they gotta fill that spiritual void somehow).

I wish I had recorded the Hannity show the other night detailing all of Kamala's wacko Marxist positions since I'm underreporting them here (and before). Unlike the puppet & fool Biden, this woman is a true Marxist along with Obama & Bernie Sanders. Can't wait for the debate!

Jim Bedwell

Janalu,

Thanks for your post on Anita Hill. I'm with you. I don't think Clarence Thomas committed any crime there.

Jim Bedwell

Also I heard on FNC that, following the failed Trump assassination attempt, the Biden administration FINALLY gave RFK Jr. the Secret Service protection he deserved (hopefully it won't be as inept as the Butler version on July 13) IT'S ABOUT TIME!

Kurt Fischer

Jan:

Just a little background on oil and gas drilling terminology.

Fracking or fracturing a well occurs after the well has been drilled and the operator wants to "open up" the earth so the well will flow.  This involves pumping a sand and water mixture into the drilled well under great pressure so it literally opens up small fissures in the drilled section and the sand serves to keep the fissures open.  The process is awe inspiring to be around.  The number of trucks with huge engines pushing the mixture down the wellbore is amazing.  Like having many train engines in the same location revving their engines.  Fracking has not been found to cause the earthquakes you mentioned.

On the other hand, the liquid waste that is produced while fracking needs to be disposed of.  It is initially pumped into a retaining pond near the drilling rig.  However, the long term solution is to pump it into a waste disposal well.  This is typically an older well which is no longer producing.  The fracking mixture is pumped down into this well.  It is the waste disposal wells which appear to be the cause of the earthquakes.  This was initially thought to be a great way to deal with the well wastewater and, in fact, environmentally sound.  But the number of small earthquakes we're seeing is very disturbing.  I'll say I would not be investing in a firm that does waste water disposal.  I can see lawsuits from here to infinity.

Jerry May

Time for some jam......

Ron Knight

Thanks Kurt

I appreciate you filling in that information to Jan. I have not been able to talk to Steve Keene about this, but he would be right with you on this. From the late 1970's through the 1990's I was active in the Oil & Gas Business as an investor ONLY!!!. First in the Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma  (very deep wells) and later into the 80's and 90's with the Barnett Shale west of Ft Worth. I did not make a ton of money but one of my good friends, Richard (Dave) Morgan at the time was Gene Phillips', in Dallas, right hand man and we did a couple of projects together close to Abilene. Dave went on to do several projects in the Ukraine. I declined to invest in those. Can you spell S-T-U-P-I-D!!! My dad was a petroleum enginneer and built oil refineries in Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Spain ( I spent a summer in Spain on the Med Sea @ Valencia)  back in the 1960's along with many others in the lower 48.

So fracking has always been an issue, but it is imperative how to control it. It is like anything else, just don't be irresposible in your duties.

I could get political on our reserves, but I will decline now!

Lowell Tuttle

We swam for many years competitively, age 8-9 through 17 for me.   Later in my years of swimming, we used goggles.   But, we only used them for workouts.   Using them in meets was difficult because they would dis lodge when you dove/hit the water.

I don't know what goggles or method they use to avoid dislodging them...

Also, in our days, the rules (at least on the breast stroke) was only one stroke under water, and then you had to maintain you head above water and not go down beneath.

Neil Puckett could elaborate as he was a much better breast stroker than I.

Early in competition swimming, both Individual medley and medley relays all started with backstroke...It was during my illustrious career that they change it to fly back breast and free order......

It is much faster to start with the dive off the blocks than it is to start with back stroke and in the water.

Plus, going into the wall with backstroke was required.   No turning over before hitting the wall.

Wayne Gary

On ABC news tonight they talked to the local PN swat team.  They said the Secret Service did not talk to them before the rally when Trump was shot.  Tere was no communications between local law enforcement and the Secret Service.  The Secret Service was really screwed up that week.