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. 

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Wayne Gary

Lance,

Glad life has been good to you.  Life for me has had it ups-and-downs (first wife died of MS) Hage good marrage for 25 years to Jo Ann.  We were able to retire this year.  Overall life has been good for me.

We need to get together.

Wayne Gary

 I noticed that in 2016  Ward 6 council member Charles Allen then offered a follow-up amendment to state that the “D.C.” in the new name would stand not for District of Columbia, as it has for the past 225 years, but for “Douglass Commonwealth” — a nod to the influence of abolitionist Frederick Douglass in the formation of the city.

Wayne Gary

Just in. House of Representavies just passed a bill to make Washington DC a state. Only Dems voted for bill.

The state would be named Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, after George Washington, the first U.S. president, and Frederick Douglass, a former enslaved person turned famed abolitionist.

It would include the district’s residents, but not major federal buildings, the National Mall, memorials and the museums, which would be housed in a federal enclave.

Maryland says if the residents want a voting congressman then DC would be reclaimed by Maryland which was stated when Maryland gave up rites for Washington DC

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Reported in The Wall Street Journal:

"Absentee ballots remain the largest source of potential voter fraud."  

That quote isn't from Pres. Trump, who criticized mail-in votings, but is from President Jimmy Carter and also from Sec. of State James Baker III.  It's the conclusion of a bipartisan report from 2005 by the Commission of Federal Election Reform.

Also, after Democrats rejected outright Tim Scott's bill of police reform, Pelosi said the Senators are trying to get away with murder, which seems like a rather snippy and improper comment for a highly principled, Christian lady to say about her fellow Congress members.  I would assume that she might encourage them with more positive words to inspire an embracing 'comeraderie-ship' atmosphere to reach bipartisan conclusions, in a manner befitting a lady seeking the Lord's guidance in DC.

Wayne Gary

David,

One definition of "Insane": doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.  The UT leadership has been insane and very slow learners with their policy of giving minorities priorties in adimmitance for over 15 years to improve diversity with no affect while the "Dumb of Aggies" were giving scholarships with great sucess. This year UT finally learned something from A&M.

Different subject about the consertative nature of A&M:  "Silver Taps"

When a student dies the flags on campus are lowered to Half Saff.  The family is invited to a reception in the Memorial Student Center where there are adminstators, student leaders and others. Then just before 10:00PM they are escorted to a position of Honor in front of the Acidemic Bldg.  Then at 10:00 PM the lights on campus go dark and the Ross Volunteers Honor Guard arrive and fire a 21 gun solute then 4 trumpenters from atop of the academic building play "Taps".  The crowd then disperses in silence.

One mother whose son died remarked to the President that she was single and did not have a family to help mourn except for the Aggie Family. A&M is the only school that does this. MO. State and Purdue have one ceremony a year.  A&M still have an annual Muster on April 21 "San Jancinto Day" held at sites world wide where we mourn the passing of Aggies over the last year.

A number of years ago I was at a party given by my Grandmother Gary and there was an Air Force officer there and when I mentioned I was going to A&M his remark was "Is't that the school that has an annual muster" He had seen them on various bases he had served at.

David Cordell

Wayne,

When my son died, he was a student at Texas Tech. We received flowers from the Dean of Students and a very nice card from one of Rob's professors. Tech didn't have anything for individual students, faculty, and staff, but they had a set of events that honored all in the Tech community who died during the year. We were very appreciative.

Jerry May

Wayne,  I lived in Bryan/College Station for 6 years. I witnessed a lot of spirit ( like few have seen) and was compelled  to pretend my blood type was maroon and white!

And those kids/students from the beginning of the summer until "The Showdown" with Texas put banners and signs and paint all over town with "Beat the Hell outta Texas"! It was almost as if NO other game in-between mattered. Although Kyle Field held the mystique that often left them undefeated at home; Texas often won.

Still, it was easy to get carried away with "the fire" (literally) at the bonfire event! I witnessed the last one ever held there. (Could feel the heat 100 yards away from those jet-fuel soaked logs!) Very impressive!

I also jogged around the campus early every morning and witnessed those underclassmen building the "doomed" event the next year. I also thought perhaps it had a slight lean, but figured everyone knew what they were doing. So sad; and those poor parents!

I met gridiron greats.... John David Crow, Dave Elmendorf and Pat Thomas; to name a few. And became friends with Red "First Down" Cashion! 

But also sad, was A&M's defection to the SEC. Many folks were heartbroken! And the excuse: " To make us a better football team".... did not  pass the sniff test! That migration had dollar bills attached! A lot of them!

Then, to placate the faithful.....Texas A&M went to Texas' athletic director, Deloss Dodds and said, "You know we'll still play you guys......since the rivalry is there."

Dodd's' response was less than tepid.... but truthful. "Uhm, Bill (Byrne I think) that would be fine,  but you know

the schedules are figured far in advance....,,so what would we say to a Purdue who is scheduled 3 years or so from now?"

So it hasn't happened and a Kyle Field win was no longer pencilled in, when the likes of an Alabama team hammered them there!

Enough of that, rambling here......but I witnessed players clocking in at jobs, and then leaving for the day with a planned "clocking out" by someone else. This sort of thing, I believe happens everywhere......Texas included.

But I still have friends there and still pull for the Aggs when I see them play.... but at last health checkup, my blood was " Burnt Orange"!

As a footnote, the Aggie fight song is still probably the best ever! My own Father thought so, and he went to SMU! I said, Pop,the Mustangs' fight song ain't bad!?" The response was, "Yeah but they play it too much"

Lowell Tuttle

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Lance,

I am afraid, or maybe I should say very worried.  Kamala Harris has been coached by Obama since she announced her candidacy for the presidential bid, and will be a clone of him, and even a little more of a renegade, I'm afraid.  She is another angry Black lady with a chip on her shoulder, convinced that reparations are definitely needed, etc.

I think Democrats who consider themselves "moderate style" Democrats, aligning with old style JFK Democrat politics, and I do know some Democrats like that, should be very wary of what they are voting for this November.  The party they think they know is NOT what it used to be at all.  The Democrat Party has been hijacked by radicals and socialist/Marxists, many of whom are agnostics, or people who no longer attend church, nor do they teach their children any religion at all.  They now are more in line with ol' Bernie's way of thinking and they will completely change our country, probably re-writing our Constitution, or at least attempting to greatly change it.

The country we have enjoyed as youngsters growing up in, with few worries, will not be here for our grandchildren; a very sad reality to have to accept.

One other important concept that I think Americans rarely think about that was reiterated recently by one of our US senators, is that the Founders never intended for Americans to trust their government.  Our entire Constitution was predicated on the notion that government was a necessary evil, to be restrained and minimized as much as possible.

Jerry May

More RHS Friday Nights....

I can recall going to Kips' Burgers (home of the Big Boy) on Fridays after an Eagle game or right after cruising Forest Lane. It was customary to go in and wait for your name to be called before being seated. We always took a booth....if not too many of us.The greeter would ask what name we were under! The PG version(s) here were names like: "The Oscar Meyer party" or, "Chuck Wagon Party" or, if Lance was there.....one I remember was, The "Pot Party"!

Yup Jim, Ron,Lance and I had a blast on Fridays! But instead of getting into scrapes and "rumbles"......there were many times we should have......

Steve Keene

Lance

Now the Democrats in California have voted to change the name of the John Wayne airport in Orange County and to remove any statue or other public art pieces using John Wayne's name because he alledgedly made some comments that the "Black Lives Matter" crowd have found offensive some 30 years ago.  They are offended at anything.  

Now they have really done it.  You don't mess with John Wayne.  Every redneck Cowboy in the country is lacing up his holster and pulling down the brim of his hat, greasing his Winchester and checking the ammo in his Colt. That includes me.  At Cowboy Church, John Wayne's portrait hangs in almost as many places as Jesus.  Of course, I am more of a Clint Eastwood fan myself.

Wayne Gary

Steve and Lance:

If "White Power" is racist then why is'nt "Black Power" racist?

Lowell Tuttle

Are any of you 69'ers GOP delegates for next month's convention here in Houston?

So far, they have made no plans for masks.

The Texas Democrat convention was organized as virtual...I attended...(some of it...a little boring mostly.)

The main hotel next to the Convention Center is the Hilton.  They laid off a couple of rounds of employees earlier this year.  Some coming back, lose their health insurance benefits as of 6 30 2020. 

I am sure they want to serve with utmost care.

Bob Davidson

Funny that my main memory of Kip's, besides liking the Big Boy burgers, is Lance and his "Pot Party" announcement. 

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Bob Davidson,

As an attorney, can you explain to me why Chief Justice Roberts appears to have become a turncoat of sorts, having been placed in his position as a conservative, and voting that way for a while, but now has seemingly become a person 'standing up for public opinion of the moment,' and has allowed his dislike of Trump's influence over some of the population, to stick in his craw, thereby taking it upon himself to literally "legislate" from the bench, rather than simply interpret the law as written by our Founders?

It seems to me that his wishy-washy way of coming to a conclusion about the meaning of the written law, is silly and beneath his ample capabilities, not to mention his lack of responsibility to the people who have given him their trust.

Do you see it differently, sir?

Did you read Clarence Thomas's scathing dissent?

Jerry May

Janalu,  Couldn't help but see your post on Justice Roberts!  I am reminded of a sometime lady friend....who finally remarked about our "on again......"off again" dating. (sometimes not seeing her for 2-3 months!) The chastisement was; "Mr May, your inconsistency is starting to become consistent!"

Not surprising, NO dates after that!

David Cordell

Janalu,

Don't forget that Earl Warren was nominated by Eisenhower. There is a history of Republican-nominated justices veering leftward.

Hollis, 

Are they going to tear down the statue of Saint Lous and change the name of the city?? How about the name of the great university near your home? Maybe they can change history and say that it was named after Booker T. rather than George. No, Washington was Booker T.'s slave name. Unacceptable.

Wayne Gary

Janalu

Justice Roberts said he does consider previous decision of the court and in the case from Texas the court rejected the hospital admission clause.

Most Justices have are very reluctant to overturn previous cases.

David Cordell

Sent by a non-posting observer:

Please DO NOT – I repeat – DO NOT keep any $1 – $2 –$20- $50 - $100 paper bills.

They have pictures of former slave owners on them! 

Send them all to me and I will dispose of them properly!

DO NOT just throw them away.

They need to be disposed of properly and I am certified to do so.

Send a private message to me if you need my mailing address.

We must get these out of circulation immediately.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Hollis Carolyn Heyn

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

David,

What pisses me off is these Justices legislating from the bench, rather than just interpreting the law as they are SUPPOSE to do.  Have they forgotten what they learned in law school?

The way John Roberts contorted the Obamacare form of the bill he received for review, and essentially 're-arranged' the darn thing to give it a different meaning, was ridiculous and was NOT, in my opinion, what he was supposed to do.  And of the Louisiana matter just the other day, he seemed to put his finger into the air to see which way the wind was blowing, then made his decision which was opposite of what he determined a few years earlier, on a bill that was essentially the same issue, of having a medical doctor on hand with hospital credentials & admitting privileges.

Why the heck is he doing these kinds of shenanigans, is my question?  Why is he waffling and trying to read the current day sentiments, as if the sentiments of the day can sway him from what is right or wrong, according to how the law is written, which hasn't changed since the first time he interpreted it?

What am I missing?

Why aren't the Republicans as cutthroat as the Democrats?  (HA!)

Are we too softhearted and empathetic?  (Too full of Judeo-Christian kindness, possibly?)

David Cordell

Hollis,

Sorry if you inferred that I thought you would be in favor of tearing down statues. Not my intent, and I don't think my post implied that. Those are serious questions. Tearing down Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Grant, etc. was unthinkable, until it wasn't. 

I heard a news story about the statue of Saint Louis. There are stories about taking both Washington and Columbia out of the name of our capital. The DNC posted and then withdrew a tweet that a July 4th celebration at Mount Rushmore would be equivalent to a demonstration of white supremacy.

I think those Democrats among you who think this situation has gone too far need to step up to the plate.

David Cordell

Lance,

Your comment was aimed at me as a "scholarly peer" of Hollis, I suppose. Tell me exactly what I said to indicate that I believed that Hollis was a hypocrite.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Lance,

I have affirmation for my spirit.  I am truly blessed.

I was not seeking to argue, rather to discuss, which is why I said, "What am I missing?"----As in what more do I need to add to the subject I'm trying to understand?

Shalom to you too, sincere seeker of truth and the possible affirmation of the ultimate promised gift.

I should take my interests to the animals who like me, sweet and innocent as they are, precious babies gathering at my feet, seeking love and attention with wide-eyed eagerness and need; angelic infants so adoring; they give me peacefulness ever soothing to my soul.

Jerry May

Its easy to think back to those Falls......and REMEMBER!