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.

Jim Bedwell

Mark Levin had an ex-Congressman (& some other role he performs/ed that I didn't catch) on today and he's seen all the intelligence that Biden & Co. have seen these last months. He said that the administration has known all along that the Afghani Army would likely crumble and they are continually lying to us. And he also mentioned how both Dem Congressional leaderships are constantly lying to us as well, and not just about Afghanistan - they're all intentionally misleading us all the time now about everything since they are so dishonest, immoral, and stuck in ideology, where no solutions to problems lie, including the ones they're actively creating.

We all see it. They've got their Marxist agenda now, and they will NOT be deterred.

The way Biden is so limited in his speaking and then his answering questions (even apart from the dementia), this really is how a dictatorship operates and the guy was saying how Biden is actually a LOT worse than Obama. No transparency, no accountability, no truth being exposed in the abetting lapdog media, just lying, obfuscation, proactive concealment, etc. to ram down the citizens' (& future subjects') throats their Marxist policies, with the very thinnest of popular support (and that rapidly diminishing (finally? hopefully not too late before the emperor's clothes are revealed)). I think the Dems are actually happy Joe is so senile since, in total concert with the corrupt press & other Marxist institutions now, they are LOVING how that is aiding their now getting away with all this with NO CONSEQUENCES really - OK, the next election they'll lose 1 or both houses of Congress, but hey, a lot can happen before then!

You know in private that they are exulting, "THE PLAN IS WORKING!!!!". If they get this $3.5 billion (really 5/6+ billion) boondoogle through Congress next, WATCH OUT! Marxism is coming PERMANENTLY to a neighborhood near you........and the MILLIONS of illegal aliens & Afghanis, are ALSO coming to a neighborhood near you, unless that's Martha's Vineyard, Malibu, Montecito, Mercer Island (remember, those awful means-to-an-end people belong in Trump country, or at least away from where the upper elites live).......does anybody still think this country's or the world's elites care anything about the current chaos & disasters, or the worse future that all this Satanic mess ensures? How about Biden's last-reported 41% support from the American people? I wonder what they think?

Well, so far, Joe is hitless, 0 for whatever, wonder if that will go on forever? Well, it has for about 50 years now with his government "service". Again, SAY IT ALL AIN'T SO, JOE!!!

David Cordell

Jim,

Hollis can post on this forum because I invited her to the site after she contacted me. There are several members of other classes who are registered on this site, along with a couple of our teachers.

I have had the opportunity to visit with Hollis in St. Louis as well as here in Dallas. I consider her to be a valued friend/younger sister, who is also a fellow Episcopalian and professor. (Well, she's a professor and I am now a professor emeritus.) Hollis drove Martha and me to a winery and other stops on our visit to St. Louis, and I enjoy her company. She has also shared holiday meals with us in our home. Even though I disagree with her politically, I value her thoughts and wish she would post here more frequently. 

By the way, if Hollis or any Episcopalian anywhere attended church yesterday, they would have heard the following lesson from the third chapter of the Book of James.

¹Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 

² We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 

³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 

⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 

⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 

⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 

⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 

¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Amen.

Steve Keene

David,

The new Bumblebee is a match site where all the power rests with the female.  Men can post their profile and picture, but only the female can choose and initiate a get together.  I find it amusing beause in this scenario the man never knows he has been rejected or by whom or how many rejections have occurred. Bumblebee is unique in that a man never feels the sting.

I have not gotten on the site myself because I feel that God will find a way to set the perfect mate in front of me in his own way if that is his path for me.  What I have done is invested in the stock Bumblebee BMBL and have found it to be a moneymaker.

Also, as can be seen by the women that marry men in prison, there is a crazy woman out there for every man, even Charles Manson.

David Cordell

I have a question about something that Biden has said.

He has stated that the "war" in Afghanistan was costing $300 million per day. That would equate to $109.5 billion per year. The total Defense Department budget for fiscal 2021 was $740.5 billion, which means that Afghanistan would be about 15% of the Defense Department budget.

There were 13,000 troops in Afghanistan prior to the withdrawal, versus 1,347,000 total military personel, for a total of less than 1%. We have 24,000 military personnel in the U.K., 40,000 military personnel plus 15,000 civilians in Germany, and 55,000 troops in Japan. 

Where exactly will the implied savings come from? Will these 13,000 troops and their support personnel be terminated? Will Biden shut down a wing of the Pentagon? Will the airplanes be mothballed? Clearly we can't re-allocate the billions of dollars of weaponry that Biden foolishly left for the Taliban.

Where is the savings? More important, what was the real "cost"?

Ron Knight

Jim

I personally appreciate the way David has invited teachers and others associated with our class of 1969. Because of that I was able to get reunited with Hal Zelazny. Hal's a couple of years older than we are. You may not remember him, but many in our class do. You probably remember Theo's in Heights Shopping Center where many in our class would hang out. That was Hal's place. Every time I'm back in Dallas we have lunch or dinner together. I tried to get Hal to address some memories of our class at Tommy's event at our Reunion. Hal is a dear friend of mine as well as my brother of The Sooner Nation Society. We are just simply intertwined with the other classes. It comes from all areas of activity like sports, dining, dancing and dating people of other classes.

HOLLIS is part of our experience at RHS and a welcomed member to this forum as David stated.

On another subject, I want to thank David and Martha's prayers and others on here, too that know  my brother Joe. He has been in ICU for over a week (9 days) battling Covid Delta at UT Tyler Hospital. He is improving, but it will be several more days before he will be able to breathe all on his own. He should begin to start receiving Respritory Therapy while they are working to get his oxygen levels up.

Steve Keene

David,

Biden was heckled by the crowd at a labor event in Newark, New Jersey.  I am sure these were the labor union folks controlled by the Democrat Italian crime families.  It is no wonder that the Soprano crowd heckled Biden and it is clear that the Democrat party is in trouble big time at the midterms.  One of the main reasons is that the Italians were the largest identifiable ethnic group to volunteer to fight in World War II and the Scotch Irish were not far behind.  Their kids remember what their Daddy taught them and they loyally stick together in their crews with a certain code of conduct.  Biden has no code but the dollar bill.  The Democrat Campisi crowd would as soon carve up Joe Biden as a pork loin.

I agree with you completely on Hollis.  She is a sweetheart.  I do see she pulls her punches politically on the forum, as her facebook opinions are a little more clear cut.

David Cordell

Steve,

Bumble sounds interesting. If nothing else, it is an opportunity to find one's value in a free market. Good luck with the investment part.

I like their approach with regard to direction:

Profiles of potential matches are displayed to the users, who can "swipe left" to reject a candidate or "swipe right" to indicate interest.

Left bad. Right good. Works for me!

I have always found it interesting that proposals of marriage, and engagement rings, are expected to come from the male. (Presumably, the rules are different in lesbian relationships.)

Now that I think of it, Bumble is just another chance for the female to say "no", and in this case without the male even knowing it!

Related: I love the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In one scene Lani Kazan's character is telling her daughter (Nia Vardelos) that she had a plan to convince her husband (Nia's father) to let Nia's character work elsewhere rather than in the family restaurant. Nia said that it wouldn't work because her strong-willed father (Michael Constantine) is the head of the family. Lani's character responds, "The man is the head, but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants." The plan works. The women outsmart the man.

Let's hear it for Girl Woman Power!

Wayne Gary

Lance,

It appears that Tommy was insulting me and others as his childish way of getting us to have David reinstate him here.  I and others did not try to intercede in the matter.

Hollis Carolyn Heyn

Lance:

You are right about letting the grace be and not questioning it, worrying about TT effing it up.  I'll bask in its light and warmth.

David:  Thank you as always, my dear friend.

Tommy:  You da man.  

Love you three dudes. And Steve too!  And Ron Knight.!

Jim Bedwell

Hey, David C, you went WAY beyond anything required in explaining why Hollis is here. I don't think you needed to say anything at all frankly. Reminded me of your mature patience in dealing with the 2 ex-exilees of this forum for YEARS (not to mention myself - hahahaha!!!).

Hollis,

I didn't expect any response, so no surprise there. I wasn't questioning the justification for your being here. I just don't understand why you are, still don't. I've not had the positive experience(s) with/from you that my political allies have. I have no doubt the good things they said are true since they said them. Perhaps we could actually get acquainted at a reunion in future? Who knows? But yes, we should NEVER discuss politics (& maybe spirituality)

Ron,

Thanks for that long, nice post to me. And again, I'm so sorry for that kerfuffle we had. I never thought in a million years anybody would take me seriously!! And also actually, I'm not psychotic at all despite all my posts & behavior to the contrary!!! If I ever get to Tennessee, no matter YOUR political/spiritual beliefs, I would LOVE to stop by Asheville sometime to see you and talk music. Do you know Jody Carroll aka Joe McMurrian? He really is a great guitarist but there's just something about his playing that irks me, still can't quite pin that down...........

All,

I too am VERY HAPPY with all this recent renewed RHS '69 lovefest. In contrast to Lance's return, I wasn't happy to hear about Tommy's return initially since I still think there could be MAJOR problems from that.........but who knows? I like Lance's behavior better now, well, some of it anyway......hahahahahaha!!!

As we all know, we are complex mosaics of innumerable aspects of things I'm currently too lazy and perpetually ill-equipped to go into. This may floor some, but my super wise (like Dad) mother once told me, "You care more about other people than your brother does". WHOA!, WHAT?!?!?! That STILL may not compute, even with myself!!!

Finally I'll still say it, SAY IT AIN'T SO, JOE!! In macrocosm, I also would hope Joe, like our BELOVED 2 ex-exilees, OR WHOEVER OUR PRESIDENT IS NOW, WOULD COME TO HIS/HER/ITS/THEIR SENSES!

Oh, and Tommy, I almost forgot, WELCOME BACK!!! And PLEASE, let's try to keep it civil at least. If you really are thinking those things you post, which I can't imagine my EVER understanding, at least TRY to take in some DEEP breaths, give it some TIME, and THEN AND ONLY THEN, go ahead and "SUBMIT". No, I don't need back on your forum, but thanks for thinking of that. And ditto - GREAT job on the Baker situation, MY BELOVED HALF 7TH COUSIN, ONCE REMOVED!

Almost forgot, David C, ditto from Lance or Steve (my laziness again), LOVE the JAMES Scripture - he also was named after James Mulvihill.........

Again, WHEW!!!

As ever from the IRRETRIEVABLE SOCIAL CRIPPLE,

CHIEF JIMI BOB BEDPOST THE REAL MCCOY & RICHARDSON RASCAL

P.S.

LADY LANAJUJU OF PARCHMAN'S FARM & COUNTRY ESTATE,

Thank you for being my friend now. If you were a male, Lance, Steve and I would all declare from the rooftops, "She is a MENSCH and my friend!!!" May God continue to bless you and yours, as He has from eternity past, into eternity future!!!! AMEN!!!

P.P.S.

CHIEF STEPHEN TOENAILS,

OK. Let's hear it. You know, the brief, often porno-, oops, I mean punographic witticism(s). You really are our Eagle '69 George Burns talking to the camera (us) as you observe & reflect upon your Gracie (also us)!!! COOL!!!!

Hollis Carolyn Heyn

David:  I have a special affection for My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It came out at the point when my mom was approaching quickly or already in the Alzheimer's middle stage.  She could still read but was becoming more and more listless and isolated despite my father's efforts to take her out to lunch and elsewhere.  Once she saw the promotional ads on television when I happened to be home visiting, she asked if I'd like to see the movie with her.  I was thrilled and would have gone to any movie she wanted.  So we toddled over to that theater at Spring Valley and Central .She laughed till she cried, and I cried because she was having such a fine time. After I left Texas, she convinced my father to see the movie with her two more times at the theater, and then my brother bought her the dvd.  Good for viewing on the particularly bad times that followed I assure you.

Hollis Carolyn Heyn

Jim Bedwell,

Back in late 2014 I found this forum through a Facebook post Sandra made when one of your classmates died (sorry, I cannot remember that soul's name).  I contacted David remembering his mother as volunteer and civic leader from Heights through the RHS years.  My mom knew her.  I was drawn to this forum because your classmates were exploring Richardson memories from kindergarten through high school, I knew many of  y'all's younger siblings including Mike Bedwell, and I was impressed at the breadth/depth of the posts versus my 1971 class's Facebook page. Not much in depth, interesting, intelligent exchanges occuring there and big time anxiety about veering off the topic of very light conversation centered totally on happy, happy memories and reunion plans.  I also socialized with several people in your class when I was a RHS sophomore and then after they graduated.  And sure, I have felt in awe of you cool older kids, but mostly have formed some fine friendships and learned a lot about humility and kindness and pride and stubborness and forgiveness and not judging people.  And laughed a lot and had a ton o fun.  

Jim Bedwell

Hollis,

OK, thanks for that. Now I understand. I know there are other guests on both (I think) forums and I don't know their reasons for being here either. It seems to me though that you're the only one who has really "taken" to us and remained a sometimes major, usually intermittent contributor. Hopefully we all can just get along, as the late Rodney King said.

Wayne Gary

Tommy,

Since you have been reinstated on this forum you are not being insulting.  You barred me and several others from your site stating it was because you were barred from this site and thought it would help you be reinstated.  So that is my take as to why you were continually insulting me and others.

Jim Bedwell

Tommy,

From my perspective, no need to go into all your past posting/behavior at this point.

Jim Bedwell

Just spotted in Portland (I don't know; should I reconsider my having another relationship? after all she doesn't look her age....maybe it could work....at least it wouldn't be dogs like my last one!):

Lowell Tuttle

After Bedwell asked about Hollis, I went back to page 1, 2, and 3 of RHS 69 forum posts...I've done it a few times.

It is easy to do at the top of the page.   

It was and still is amazing to me to read those 8 year old posts and the different persons making the forum scene.

Kurt Fischer

At the risk of over sharing, this last week has been difficult.

Last Thursday morning my son-in-law's father suffered what turned out to be a fatal fall within his house.  He broke most of his ribs (including several compound fractures), he punctured his lungs, he broke multiple bones in his neck, he suffered several skull fractures, and encountered bleeding on both sides of his brain.

For the longest time I couldn't figure out how he did that much damage, but we've concluded he fell down the stairs.  Being the kind of guy he was, after returning from his weekly poker game with his buddies, he must have mistakenly taken two items upstairs and then woke up to return them downstairs.  So he fell carrying a bowl of queso and his poker winnings.  These were scattered on the floor.  His wife found him sitting on his bedside around 5:00 in the morning, a trail of blood through the house.  He was still somewhat lucid and had two requests:  an aspirin and a Dr Pepper.  My son-in-law took him to Baylor in Plano and he was transferred the next day to Baylor on Gaston.  He was soon declared brain dead, but continued on while medicated until this morning when he passed.

One lesson from this is something my wife has insisted on as we have aged.  It is not good for older people to live in homes with stairs.  Too much risk of falling.

The other lesson is how unexpectedly life can be taken from us.  Although Larry was in his late 70s, there was no thought he would pass away.  Yes, he has the normal heart and back problems, but these were being managed.   And then, in a moment, his life was taken away.  This is a reminder to cherish the time you have with your loved ones and make the most of it.  

Sorry for the bummer news, but something like this always reminds us to value our relationships while we can.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Lowell, 

I see the storm is headed Houston way and hope you and your family do not get flooded or any other damage. You will be in my thoughts for the next few days!  Stay safe my friend!

My son is getting married in a couple of weeks. My dilemma of getting my mom at the wedding and seeing to her needs has been solved today!  I found a neighbor willing to wheel her around, see to her personal needs (no easy task, can be messy).  She volunteered after I put out a plea for a caregiver on NextDoor forum. The bonus, which is incredible, she was born in Begium and speaks Dutch!  It is meant to be and I am so grateful I am at a loss for words. This young forty something lady came to my rescue!   

Wayne Gary

Today I saw a Big Boy statue in front of a store on Hwy75 North of Wylie  just South of the WalMart. It is in front of 1001 Bargans and you can see it on the street view of Googlemaps.

Didn't think to take a picture.

Lowell Tuttle

i am in good shape with a generator ready to go now.   Some of you will remember my issues with that last February.

Who we need to watch out for is Fleming and Deb Dupre Green as she lives on the water in Sante Fe...(That is Galveston Bay.)

Just now, 11:16 pm, we live about 5 miles or so South of IAH airport flight pattern, and unbelievably there are still passenger jets flying in.   The winds are gusting to 20 mph, which means they are about 60 -70 up at 3000 feet.   How do tnose flights make it?   I would be a freaked passenger....

Jim Bedwell

Is it just me or is anybody else wondering if there's another one on the other side of the face of my potential beautiful girlfriend? In any case, that might be kinda weird to be kissing her and having a rodent gnawing on your chin simultaneously. Maybe I should NOT reconsider restarting any future love life after all?

Wayne Gary

Steve,

Last night I watched the movie "Lillies of the Field" The Mother Superior would not thank Homer  for all he was doing, She would say she was Thanking God  because she prayed and God sent her Homer.  At the very end she did say "thank you" to Homer.  We all need to be thanked but at the same time thank God for all he has done for us. Thank you for takinging me to the Rangers game.

Steve Keene

Wayne

Thank God for sending Ranger Suites that can be used to witness and set examples.  I won't complain that they are not New York Yankee team Suites.

Bob Davidson

Hollis -- I don't remember knowing you, but your recent post was somehow deeply touching and I'm glad you post here.  Thank you.

I enjoy reading everyone's experiences and opinions even though there are a bunch of people I don't remember or vaguely know their names or look at their old pictures and they seem familiar ( like Hull Barbee and Jimmy Baker, for example, and others ) but I don't remember them from fifty years ago.  Others like David Cordell I knew in high school and/or college ( for several classes in high school I think of the back of his head as my major memory -- thanks to alphabetical seating ) and remember well.  Some people I remember a little, others I should have known, like Wayne, because we would have been doing the same activities, but don't remember.