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Community Events Community Events Sponsored by:
ship 11:00 Hwy 190 & FM 3152, On Alaska, TX 936.646.5681 Coldspring United Methodist Church Sunday Service is 8:30 am & 11 am Sunday School is at 9:45 am Youth Group Wednesday at 5:30 pm
Lake Station Baptist Church Sunday School 9:45 am, Worship 11:00 am, Wednesday Bible Study 6:00 pm Goodrich, TX 936.365.2755
Family Faith Church Pastors Jeff & Eileen Hackleman Sundays in Coldspring @ 11:00 am www.familyfaith.ws
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Sunday School 9:45 am, Worship 11:00 am
Christian Faith Church Sunday Worship 10:30 am & Bible Study 7 pm Wednesday 1040 Hwy 190 Oakhurst 77359 936.377.4795 First Apostolic Church Sunday Worship 10:00 am and 6:30 pm Bible Study 7:30 Tuesday Goodrich, TX 936.365.3838 First United Pentecostal Sunday Worship 10:00 am & 6:00 pm Bible Study Wednesday 7 pm Youth Gathering Fridays @ 7 pm OnAlaska, TX 936.646.4514 Methodist Church of Goodrich Sunday School 9:00 am, Worship 10:25am Goodrich, TX 936.365.2435 Lake Livingston Lutheran Church Sunday School & Bible Study 9:30 am, Wor-
The Universal Ethician Church Beyond the end of FM 135 in San Jacinto County Services are held on the Sabbath (Saturday) 1 hour before Sunset http://www.sunsetservices.org St. Stephens Catholic Church Point Blank, TX Mass-4:30 pm every Saturday! Laurel Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor Paul Dawkins, Evergreen, TX 105 FM 945 N; 936.767.8497 Sunday School @ 9:45, Church Service 10:50 am, Wednesday Night Bible Study 6:00 pm New Life Church Pastor Dusty Kemp 10800 Hammerly Blvd. Houston, TX 77043 713.932.1479 Worship Sunday 10:30 am Prayer Tues 7p Bible Study Wed 7p
Judy Beard Kelly Eaton Vernon Susan Husisian Dillon Mitchum Tara Merrem Evans Connie Slocomb Dawn Wright D.I. Lacy Alvert Avina Michael Fernandez Daniel DeLaGarza Kathy Rodriguez Steven Eckert Joyce Grace David Whittington Denise Williams Sandy Davis Keith Haskin William Hill Rose Follett Kistler Barbara Wilson Donna Lewis Leslie McFarland Ken Kaiser Chuck Sun Kevin McGee
9/11 Never Forget! Dianne Bass D’Ann Adams Billy Snook NEVER FORGET! Lisa Jordan Scott Carlisle Dolly Swearingim Kelly Wales-Dillard Jared Hooker Cynthia Easterling Dana Jimenez Connie Strong Shawn Tate Steely Dipuccio Linda Ware Cordova Josie Martinez Randy Sledge Gary Vess Jr. Karla DeRanieri Dano Arrendell Cholo & Flojo Trey Frankovich Michael Ozarchuk Jodi Purvis Gaylon Rushing Kenda Walsh Dean Cook
Dorothy Roberts Stan Voight Shawn Devies-Leiskau Judi Benestante Paul Barratt Christopher Chatelain Conrad Olson Paul Summers Kevan Milner Matt Bruner Leslie Sharp Tim Martin Megan Cook Cabot Goslin Kina Hooker Don Yarbrough Shelia Yarbrough Charlotte Hill Steven Scott Joe Johnson Debra Smith Mary Shay Chic Peterson Tabatha Gregory Jennifer Dupree Lance Craig Stewart Thompson
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A Spellbinding Evening
By Penny Uselton The Livingston Commerce Center marked its opening with a marvelous “Ladies Night Dinner Theater” event provided by Andy Evans and Cecil Langston of Church Street Financial.* This was their way of thanking the many CSF women investors from our community for their business and trust in them. (The male investors have a bird hunt sponsored by CSF every Fall.) The ladies were treated to a magical evening of song, reminiscence and laughter as performed by Sally Mayes, a hometown girl, who has made it good in the entertainment world of stage, screen and TV. She gave a superlative performance with her musical venue of poignant trials and tribulations as often seen, in some form, throughout people’s lives. The evening’s vignettes were titled, “Seven Stories,” with songs that were unique in every way. The surroundings were breathtaking; the catered food sumptuous; and some 220 ladies September 2013
were most appreciative of the event provided by their hosts. The evening was a fine beginning! We look for more to come at the theater within the Commerce Center. Miss Mayes is collaborating with TUTS in Houston to do a new show that she has been developing called “Contradictions of the Southern Soul.” Perhaps, she can be persuaded to do a pre-Houston showing. We will keep our fingers crossed! *Church Street Financial is located in the First National Bank Bldg at 2121 US Highway 190
Casa Needs You! Please support CASA of the Pines with its 8th Annual Justice is Served Fish Fry. CASA is pleased to announce that First State Bank is on board as a "Heart of Gold" sponsor. Pictured here are First State Bank employees Debra Ward and Melody Kellar with CASA advocate and board member Joyce King and Natalie Thornton, CASA Executive Director. (Picture will follow in another message, and it is located on the CASA of the Pines FB page) The event is: September 19, 2013 First United Methodist Church 6:008:00 p.m. with Drive Thru Available from 4:00-5:45. USA Farm Raised Catfish, Slaw, Potatoes, Corn, Tea, and Dessert $10 a Person with Table Sponsorships Available Ticket Price Includes Many Door Prize Drawings “Celebrity” waiters, guest speakers, entertainment, and live auction items. Call 936.634.6725 or 936.523.0519 for sponsorship details, ticket information, and other questions. Why
Support CASA? This is CASA’s only Polk County fundraiser. Please take this opportunity to be a part of making a difference for the Polk County abused and neglected children. What do CASAs do? CASA volunteers get to know the child and speak to everyone involved in the child’s life, including their family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, social workers, and others. The information they gather and their recommendations help the court make informed decisions. CASA volunteers commit to a child until the case is closed and the child is in a safe, permanent home. CASA volunteers help shorten the time a child spends in foster care.* Children with a CASA volunteer are less likely to re-enter the child welfare system once their case is closed.* CASA volunteers help children and their families receive the services they need.* CASA has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice as a model juvenile delinquency prevention program. *Source: Study conducted by National CASA and U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs, 2006.
Insperity’s Community Events... Page 4-5 Happy Birthdays...4 Military Minutes National American Legion Convention by Jay Bowen...6 NEW! Random Rants...8 Texas Takes...10 PennyForYourThoughts11 Random Thoughts Guest Writer Jay Bowen...12 Good News Gazee..13 Home Country...13 Sports & Outdoors...14 World & Local...15 TDGT INFO & SUB...17 Don’t Tread on Me...20 Crossword...22 The Great Outdoors..27 The Dam Gossip...28 Rumor Has It...29 Business Block...30 TDGT Travels...31 Honoring Those Who Honor Those Who Honor
Everyone gathered for hors d'oeuvres and drinks prior to the event The Dam Good Times
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Military Minutes There were several workshops and committee meetings held the week prior to the opening session. I attended a few, but there were several I could not attend due to scheduling conflicts. The 3-day session was filled with guest speakers at the national and local levels. To name just a few; Rita Cosby (Fox News) provided services as Master of Ceremonies, VP Joe Biden stopped by 40 minutes late to deliver an address in which he assured us Veterans’ issues were a “sacred trust” that was a very high priority with the administration, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki spoke on new and existing efforts by the Veterans Administration, Mike Durant, former US Army pilot of the real “Black Hawk Down” visited, Teddy Roosevelt IV spoke on the continuing preparation for The American Legion’s 100th Birthday, and US Senator Ted Cruz addressed the crowd of several hundred from all across the country. Rita was a doll and spoke in vivid detail of her father and the renewed relationship she had with him. She has a New York Times Best Seller on the shelf called Quiet Heroes in which she chronicles her relationship and her father’s life before, during, and after WWII. It’s an amazing story and I would rec-
American Legion National Convention 2013…Texas Style!
Texas Senator Ted Cruz & American Legion Commander James E. Koutz By Jay Bowen, Colorado. And my re-inWhat I didn’t really exColorado Bureau of TDGT troduction to Texas didn’t pect was the friendliness do anything to soothe my of all the locals. I spent a concerns. About 30 minlot of time in El Paso and HOUSTON, TX-What happens when the largest utes after we crossed the while the food there was Veterans Service Organi- State line from New Mex- amazing, the locals were ico, I picked up a rock (or not. So my opinion was zation in the country small boulder) from a big based in large part on my holds their annual Contruck I was following that experiences in El Paso. vention in the largest left me with a cracked My bad. People in HousState in the 48 Contiguwindshield about the size ton and the surrounding ous States, and in the of a half-dollar. I thought, area are nothing like largest city in the State “Oh boy, is this the type those I lived among in the (4th largest in the counof hospitality I can expect western part of the State. try)? You get the annual They spoke to everyone American Legion National from Texas for the entire week?” they met with a big Texas Convention done Texas But, I traveled the resmile, and for a very Style! mainder of the way to large town, they drove in I’ll be honest, I wasn’t Houston without incident a relatively friendly manreally excited about travand even arrived in town ner. When we walked in eling to Houston in late on a Saturday around the Sunday afternoon paAugust. Living the good rade, the streets were life in Colorado and being noon, which meant the lined with local citizens traffic was light. Let’s put raised in the great State cheering, waving flags, that into perspective. I of Tennessee, I knew full and saluting. A very nice only had to come to a well what to expect surprise. complete stop on I-45 weather-wise this time of The Convention was three times before getting year. That’s one of the as I expected; great! off at a downtown exit. many things I love about
ommend it to everyone. The VP told this august group everything you would want to hear. The issues and problems our Veterans are facing are not going unnoticed. It was very similar to making campaign promises from the challenger who will fix the problems being ignored by our current administration. Oh wait, he IS part of the current administration. I guess now they will start focusing on Veterans’ issues and concerns (insert a short sarcastic laugh here). Secretary Shinseki spoke on major efforts of the VA to totally eliminate Veteran homelessness by 2015 and budgetary challenges in doing so. He told us the backlog is being reduced year after year and pledged to remove this burdensome problem by 2015. I don’t know what they are expecting to happen in 2015 to help make these things happen, but I guess we’ll see. Maybe he’s figuring someone else will be sitting in his chair by then and it will be their problem to solve. Mr. Durant shared with us the real story of “Black Hawk Down” in 1993 Somalia. He explained why the events leading up to and after the shooting down of our Black Hawk helicopters resulted in delays getting help to our surviving military men See American Legion Pg 7
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THE BATTLING BOYS OF BENGHAZI
American Legion and why too many of our Nation’s heroes lost their lives during this campaign. It was a riveting speech and I am confident many of us in the room gained some insight into how and why our administration at the time left our brave men and women alone to fend for themselves. Mr. Roosevelt is chairing a committee to plan The American Legion’s 100th Birthday celebration in 2019. This is only fitting because his grandfather, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. was one of the founding fathers of The American Legion immediately after the “First War to End All Wars!” Senator Cruz, in my opinion, stole the show. He spoke of the many, many things he has already done in support of our Veterans including his successful fight with the ACLU on the Mojave Desert memorial cross they tried to have removed, and getting the VA to back off on telling a Texas VA department they could not use God’s name during a funeral service for a Veteran. While he is a politician, I really felt he meant what he said about God and Country; the very essence of The American Legion. All in all it was a great Convention and a real eye-opener for me. I guess I will have to rethink my opinion about Texas and Houston in particular. I’ll forget the September 2013
We're the battling boys of Benghazi No fame, no glory, no paparazzi. Just a fiery death in a blazing hell Defending the country we loved so well. It wasn't our job, but we answered the call, Fought to the Consulate and scaled the wall. We pulled twenty countrymen from the jaws of fate Led them to safety, and stood at the gate. Just the two of us, and foes by the score, But we stood fast to bar the door. Three calls for reinforcement, but all were denied, So we fought, and we fought, and we fought till we died. We gave our all for our Uncle Sam, But Barack Obama didn't give a damn. Just two dead seals who carried the load No thanks to us—we were just "Bumps In The Road."
first visit I had in that town in 1979, where I arrived to pick up a car I shipped from Germany during Tropical Storm Claudette. Fun times! At some point, I’ll also forget they are responsible for putting a half-dollar sized crack on my Honda Pilot windshield. I will always remember they are an extremely friendly people in southeast Texas. But I’ll never forget the 3-digit temperature accompanied by the
3-digit humidity factor in August. And I’ll never forget they killed Davy Crockett (which is why I’ll always hate Texas)!
Wrien in response to the Commander in Chief, aka the President of the United States of America, aka Barack Hussian Obama, referring to Benghazi being, “A bump in the road”, by an anonymous Marine Corps Officer Oorah! BTW: Marine Corps history holds that the genesis of the word Oorah! stems from a similar Turkish word for "Strike" or "Kill them all". Of course it does:)
Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading. Thomas Jefferson The Dam Good Times
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New! Random Rants Is it just me, or can we agree the entire Obama Administration can be summed up with the words, "Ass Outweighed by Mouth"? First we're gonna punish them. Then we're gonna do just enough not to get mocked. Then the Fresh Prince of Airballs TELLS the Syrians we're gonna fire a shot across the bow, which is sort of like telling someone, "If you do that again, I'm gonna swing and miss! On purpose!" Now the allies have quit laughing and have moved on, so we're left with "strong rhetoric" likely "condemning" the use of chemical weapons. Ace of Spades has "Tomorrow's Headline Today" as, "Obama: 'Mind If We Fire Off a Couple of Roman Candles in Hoboken?'" I about broke a rib on that one. Paul S. Phillips Interesting - The United States is 3rd in murders throughout the World. But, if you take Chicago, Detroit, Washington DC and New OrSeptember 2013
leans out of the picture, the United States is 3rd from the bottom on a list of 216 countries for murders. These 4 Cities have the toughest Gun Control Laws in the United States. These cities are also run by DEMOCRATS! Imagine that. Not only are these cities currently run by Democrats, they have been run by Democrats pretty much since they became cities. Mark Cravens Oscar Pistorious said he shot his girlfriend b/c he thought she was an intruder. And it was the FIRST time in his life he ever thought someone was “intruding” into his home…especially into his bathroom. Because isn’t that where most intruders get it in? Really? She was in a bathroom with the door locked. She was trying to keep him OUT. Sounds logical for an intruder. Gimme a break! It was Valentine’s Day and they had fought...Probably b/c he didn’t propose. Age-old problem. Dam that St. Valentine…So much pressure on this day anyway…Hint for the Men: Women usually do prefer A proposal along
with diamonds, dark chocolate…and exotic flowers…AND…not OR… However...Just because you don’t propose or deliver on the above goods ...no matter HOW much she complains...don’t freakin SHOOT & KILL her. Really. Just dial 911 and press 2 for help, after you press 1 for English. There are 37,000 traffic deaths per year. Mostly on scenic roads. That is more deaths than gun deaths (30k), Industrial accidental deaths (4,500) and SOLDIERS KIA (650) COMBINED! Moral to the story? We should remove all scenic highways...you idiots are not smart enough to not look a the scenery therefore your government should protect you by demolishing all scenic highways. The Honorable Jeff Miller, Chairman of VA said they were working hard expanding medical access to include mental health care. Eighteen to twenty-two soldiers commit suicide EVERY DAY. Crystal Laramore
elected Lindsay Graham and John McCain to act on anything separate from the rest of the Republican Party? Isn’t that the job of the leadership as selected by the party? I am tired of those two. They are on the wave of the past. We are ticked that Al Gore, after making over $100,000,000 on the manmade global warming farce for himself, sold his failing cable station to Al Jeezera and we’ve got the antiAmerican propagandist group spilling out their slant on what’s going on in America as of 8/20/13. Why was this ever even allowed and Gore is millions of dollars richer. Thanks FCC. We can’t believe that you put your stamp of approval on the sale. Nobody’s talking about it; but this sure looks like a scandal. Would we have allowed Hitler, Pravada or Tokoyo Rose to broadcast on our radios in the past or have any of them on television IF it existed? Why isn’t, and why wasn’t, something done to get Dr. Shakil Afride and his family out of Pakistan? He is the ONE that helped us secure Osama Bin Laden. We should have gotten him OUT while we were putting out the lights on Bin Laden. Withhold the bribe money we give Pakistan yearly to play along with us until they release the doctor who was given a 33 year prison sentence for helping us.
I am confused. Who The Dam Good Times
On the subject of Beng-
hazi, obama, our fearless leader, described it as, “Just another bump in the road.” Sure, it is just a bump in the road of no significance or importance. We don’t need to get to the bottom of what happened there. We can just keep on repeating the same mistakes and “our majesty” doesn’t need to explain anything. (Maybe some lower end government person in Cleveland, Ohio is to blame.) Do you get tired of our tax dollars being used to pay for advertisements on television to get us to apply for food stamps? Isn’t just wonderful for us to be paying for millions of people to have obamaphones…some even having a multiplicity of FREE phones? We are so relieved that the White House staff, Congressmen and their staffs, labor unions and many BIG businesses are getting relief and extensions on obamacare while the rest of us get a kick in the pants. They are also going to get their Affordable health care subsidized by the good old American taxpayer. How generous of us. Those in Congress who voted for the healthcare law should have to live with it...just as it is being forced down our throats! (It has over 20,000 regulations and is an atroc ity that includes death panels (surprise, surprise) and visit to our houses by the healthcare regulators to See Rants pg 9 Page 8
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Boundsautoplex.net check us out! (Do we own any guns? Do we appear unstable?) In Pima County Arizona, it was reported (Arizona Republic’s August 13 issue) that the Obama runaway government has built 21 two – three bedroom houses (1,276 to 1,570 sq. ft.) to ATTRACT U.S. Customs and Border protection personnel to live in Ajo, Arizona some 100 miles from Tucson. The average spent on each house was $600,000.00 apiece. As one councilperson in the area said, “ There isn’t a house in Ajo that you can’t buy for $100,000.â€? This is just another act of pure government waste!â€? Wonder who got the contract to do the work and WHO they are connected to in politics. We have the FASTEST Growing poor population in the U.S. and it is now hitting our suburbs! Our increase in food stamps since Lyndon Johnson’s, God rest his soul, War-onPoverty has sky rocketed! The increase cost is 32,504%. It was $228.8 million in 1969 and is now reported as $74.6 billion! Way to go! We have a collapse in marriage. 40% of our population is living in single parent headed households. Doesn’t it usually take at least two to get the job done? We get caught up in the agendas of others e.g. legalizing gay marriages; making drugs legal; using all kinds of profanity in movies, music and TV‌ let’s start PUSHING BACK and refuse to accept this hogwash! Get government OUT OF OUR BUSINESS by the use of the ballot box and being vocal in our community. Stop paying people that do nothing to earn our tax dollars! September 2013
We have several distinct subcultures in our country whose way of life )5(( /(*$/ $'9,&( includes mindless :KDW LV /HJDO/LQH" murders; coarse /HJDO/LQH LV D FRPPXQLW\ VHUYLFH RXWUHDFK SURJUDP RI WKH +RXVWRQ %DU $VVRFLDWLRQ WKDW KDV VHUYHG WKH +RXVWRQ DUHD VLQFH language and dress; 7KLV )5(( OHJDO DGYLFH KRWOLQH LV GHVLJQHG WR KHOS WKH SXEOLF JHW VLPSOH OHJDO DGYLFH DQVZHUV WR OHJDO TXHVWLRQV DQG UHIHUUDOV WR and violent and de- KHOSIXO UHVRXUFHV RYHU WKH WHOHSKRQH $OO FDOOV DUH DQVZHUHG E\ OLFHQVHG YROXQWHHU DWWRUQH\V :KHQ LV /HJDO/LQH" structive behavior. /HJDO/LQH LV KHOG WZLFH D PRQWK RQ WKH ILUVW DQG WKLUG :HGQHVGD\ RI HYHU\ PRQWK IURP S P XQWLO S P 7R UHDFK D YROXQWHHU They are fueled by DWWRUQH\ FDOO 7KLV LV D FDOO LQ WHOHSKRQH SURJUDP RQO\ derelict parents; a :KR FDQ FDOO /HJDO/LQH" $Q\ +DUULV &RXQW\ FLWL]HQ PD\ FDOO /HJDO/LQH /HJDO/LQH LV VSRQVRUHG E\ 7KH +RXVWRQ %DU $VVRFLDWLRQ D QRQSURILW RUJDQL]DWLRQ barbaric entertainment media that :KDW LV &RQVHMRV /HJDOHV" &RQVHMRV /HJDOHV LV /HJDO/LQH IRU 6SDQLVK VSHDNHUV 7KLV SURJUDP LV VSRQVRUHG E\ WKH 0H[LFDQ $PHULFDQ DQG +LVSDQLF %DU feeds, and encour$VVRFLDWLRQV &RQVHMRV /HJDOHV LV WKH ILUVW 7KXUVGD\ RI WKH PRQWK IURP S P S P 7R UHDFK D YROXQWHHU DWWRUQH\ FDOO ages, the coarseness for their profit /(*$//,1( '$7(6 )25 and a general apathy on the part of 0DUFK 1RYHPEHU -XO\ many politicians. $SULO 1RYHPEHU -XO\ We sit on the side$SULO 'HFHPEHU $XJXVW lines and do little as 0D\ 'HFHPEHU $XJXVW we believe we have QRRQ WR S P
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The Dam Good Times
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Texas Takes TRASH AND THE GENTLE ART OF LANDLORDING
By Ma Bruner I have tried many times to explain the mindset that develops from being a landlord, and the patience that is required to be one. It cannot be described in a phrase or a sentence, but I think I have a story, a parable of sorts, that might give you a glimpse. Years ago I had a problem at my apartments with people dropping cigarette butts near the entry doors. LOTS of cigarette butts. This is probably a common problem at most businesses. I have three buildings that have four apartments each that share single alcoves. The rest are duplexes with separate entry areas, so I saw the most issue with the quads. After some thought, I placed cleaned metal paint cans at each entrance, where the renters and guests could drop the butts into the can when they entered or left. The cans were painted red, to be eyecatching, and had a carefully-drawn cigarette graphic on the side. I saw no way that the use of the cans could be mistaken. September 2013
Just in case you are thinking that I was trying to solve a tiny problem, I was not. One day I counted the butts I picked up. Simple math revealed that I was gathering over 100,000 butts a year. So I was proud of the little red cans, and a good share of the butts went into the cans. Problem was gum and candy wrappers, popsicle sticks, and the like went into the cans as well. They would fill up in less than a day, and create a small fire hazard. I actually found one smoldering one afternoon. I added a small trash can, really an office-type waste bin, at each entry, hoping the paper trash would go into the new can. The paper trash went into the new can, along with soda cans, bottles, and the bags of trash the renters collected from their cars. The new cans filled in less than a day. So I purchased some proper trash cans with hinged lids and wheels. They were large enough to accommodate the daily trash load and I could wheel them to the dumpster for emptying. Perfect! The renters would dump their unwanted mail, boxes and whatever else in the cans.
Not so perfect… Some renters began taking their bags of kitchen trash and, rather than walking it to the dumpster, they would dump the whole bag into the can. The new larger cans filled up in less than a day. I cut a small hole into the covers of the cans, to make it obvious it was for small items. They still filled up in less than a day with the usual stuff – people would simply open the lid and dump their bags of trash. I drilled a small hole through the cover of the trash can and through the lip and installed small padlocks. That would keep people from inserting large items and limit the trash to the intended soda cans, bottles and wrappers. Renters either used smaller trash bags and shoved them through the hole, or carried their kitchen trash can out and shoved the milk jugs, pizza boxes and the like through the small hole. (Remember the dumpster is less than 200 feet away – it was not like a day hike to throw the stuff away properly) The shoving destroyed the plastic tops of the cans, making them an eyesore. I took the trash cans with the destroyed tops, the padlocks and the conThe Dam Good Times
tents and threw all of it in the dumpster and returned to picking up cigarette butts, papers, discarded mail, popsicle sticks, cans and bottles off the ground. It was just easier that way. This is not meant to be a condemnation of any renter, or the renters as a group. They were good people and the current crop is good as well. I think the lesson is that you cannot force something on a community. They have their own ways and habits. You can suggest things, or you can put it out there and see what happens. You can hope that they comply, but you cannot force them to. Annoy them too much and they leave. If this adventure in trash sounds annoying
but manageable, you might make a good landlord. If it sounds nightmarish, stick to REITs. If it sounds fun, you are probably feverish, and should go back to bed.
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A Penny for Your Thoughts amongst themselves. They have had little to no regard for their excesses and our government’s mounting DEBT! NOW we know they have, and are still, singling out conservative and religious organizations to delay their applications for non-profit status. No one knows, or seems to know, who all is involved but we know that it goes to the highest levels in our government. No one has been fired… some have been given (Lois Lehner) paid extended furlough and some have been promoted to other positions within the ranks. Like the State Department, no particular person, or persons, has been found responsible.
Scandals Personified!
By Penny Uselton Lately, we have been told that, “there are no scandals in our government.” It is all being made up by the opposition. Does that rest assure you when your president, and his spokes people, make these statements? The Benghazi betrayal is coming up on its one year anniversary and we still don’t know who made the decisions that led to the destruction of our consulate; the death of our Ambassador, the president’s representative; the death of other American personnel hours later. Our Ambassador was tortured and sodomized. We were given lame explanations and lies. We were told that the responsible people would be tracked down and pay for their attack on our sovereignty and murder of American citizens. Hillary Clinton let us know that it doesn’t September 2013
matter with her infamous statement, “What difference does it make?” She then made a bee line for the exit out of the State Department so she presumably can’t be questioned further by Congress. Now we should be relieved that our new Secretary of State, and former military hero (?), John Kerry, has told us that no one is to blame. In the past, he lied before Congress and likened our soldiers in Viet Nam to the hordes from the past who were with Genghis Khan. He lied to the military earlier and wrote his own recommendation for a purple heart. In a protest, he threw his medals across the fence at the White House….later it was found out that they were someone else’s medals… never mind, he was a “darling” of the liberal press so it didn’t count! Still believe him? The out of control IRS has been running amuck for years and now has made a mockery of the organization that we trust to be impartial with the regulations and our taxes. They have spent monies of the American taxpayer on themselves with trips, conferences, dance classes, banquets, and other dreamed up “goodies” to pass out
Big Brother NSA is… no it isn’t…yes it is…listening in, and watching us, on our cell phones, IPads, television, and computers. The pretense is to listen in on suspected terrorists, BUT American citizens are being covertly listened to and materials are being gathered and stored on millions of us. Information could later be used against political opponents, business competitors, boy or girl friends, or a person one doesn’t like to get revenge or power over them. These are just a few
scandals. Here is a list of other questionable areas of government involvement: • Eric Holder is sworn to uphold The Constitution of the United States, but is he? Holder is going after George Zimmerman for civil rights violations and has been at it for well over a year. He is going after Texas for its’ Voter ID law and redistricting of voting areas; Arizona for their border policy that matches The Constitution; but refused to go after the “new” Black Panthers for Voter Intimidation in the 2008 election. His Fast and Furious gun distribution to Mexican cartel crooks has resulted in murders of Americans and untold numbers of Mexicans. We still do not know who dreamed up this debacle. • Obama has directed billions of dollars for wind farms that cost more to maintain than what they produce… money down the drain! “Pal Deals” with folks in the solar panel business (business producing no profit) e.g. Solyundra. A few billion here, and a few billion there, going down the endless drain of government spending. Working through the EPA his majesty has destroyed most of the coal industry with thousands
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of pages of regulations and forced closings of numerous mines and 50+ coal power plants have been forced to close while thousands lose their jobs! He has put up every BARRIER possible through the EPA to stop the U.S. Oil and Gas business (so much for being free of OPEC) by not giving approval of the Keystone pipeline and removing over 800,000,000 acres of federal land from oil exploration! What else? Needless to say it is mind boggling: illegal aliens; giving labor union members healthcare without any monetary involvement of their membership and now making deals with them re obamacare to mollify them…which in NOT AFFORDABLE as we are finding out! Cities are going broke, 8,000,000 people are out of work and have given up! Unfortunately, this isn’t ALL of it. Let’s prevent as much damage as possible for the next few years. Could we just retire him to the golf course for the rest of his term and fire his staff?
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Random Thoughts
Pictured: Jay Bowen saluting the American flag as he re-entered the convention hall. UB pointed out that every time a Legionnaire entered or exited the room they saluted the American flag...
From Colorado Springs to Houston and Beyond! By Jay Bowen On Wednesday, 28 August 2013, in Houston Texas, Bill Laramore stepped up to receive the “Mid-Size Company Employer of Veterans for 2012” award from The American Legion’s National Commander Jim Koutz. Being recognized for this prestigious achievement from the country’s largest Veterans Service Organization of about 2.4 million Veterans, with membership in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, France, the Philippines, Mexico, and September 2013
Puerto Rico is nothing short of humbling. The road to Houston actually began just over 10 years ago when Dr. Fred Clark And Mr. Bill Stender hired retiring US Army Colonel Bill Laramore to officially open the CAS-West Colorado Springs office. Bill’s charge was pretty simple (ha); grow CAS’ presence in the Colorado Springs area and win a major contract as prime. A year later we were awarded a five year contract to support the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command as the prime contractor of a 13 company team. We bid and won many task orders over the five year Period of Performance while successfully getting added to other contracts in the region as sub-contractors. With each win we were able to hire very smart and very professional people to support our US military customers. We weren’t keeping track of whether they were Veterans, but it turned out that most of the people hired were military Veterans or direct family members of a Veteran. At its peak, our Division grew to approximately 170 people. Through acquisitions, purchases, spin-offs, and re-organizations, we saw the number ebb and flow to about 85 people this
time last year. During the 2012 American Legion Convention, Jay Bowen watched as companies from around Colorado were recognized for hiring Veterans. They were lauded for having 23% of their workforce come from the ranks of military Veterans. He knew we had a much higher rate and began to investigate. Last year we submitted CAS’ Strategic and Homeland Defense Operations Division for consideration at the State level. Within a month of the submission, we were notified we won the Regional award. At the 2013 Department of Colorado Convention in June, we received the award at the State level. And because we were the State level winner, we were nominated for and won at the National level. In his acceptance speech at the Department Convention in June, Bill stated that hiring approximately 88.2% Veterans in our Division was not out of pity, an act of kindness, a social experiment, or charity; CAS is in the people business. Hiring Veterans is called “Smart Investing.” Our customers and our contracts require people who understand sacrifice, mission accomplishment, and drive. He ended the acceptance speech with, “We need employees willing to serve, not be The Dam Good Times
served. Humble – who don’t think less of themselves, but who think of themselves less. We must have people of high integrity. That’s a Veteran.” The road to Houston was much longer than the 1½ day drive from Colorado Springs. But it was worth every mile we drove…and we’re still driving. By Crystal Laramore
Veterans are a special breed of people. Just the word “veteran” causes my heart to soar and my patriotic self to tear up. At some point during the convention I looked at my UB with tears in my eyes and a red nose and said “don’t ever invite me to one of these things again”. I didn’t mean it. When I looked at him I had to look over my aunt Cheryl, b/c she was between us, and darned if she wasn’t a hot mess too! When you honor those who honor those who honor us by serving (in the military) you feel like there is nothing
America cannot- because of the men and women who serve her. NOTHING AMERICA CANNOT DO! Because of those who serve. So, when my UB is adamant about me not mentioning his name in any regard in my (duh) newspaper because he’s just the “vessel”, blah blah blah, he HAS to know it falls on deaf ears. He just has to know that. Editors Note: Jay Bowen was allowed to hijack my column this week and it couldn’t have been done by a more worthy cause-honoring those who honor us...I wanted to take this occasion to thank Jay & Jackie for their graciousness and their service to our country. No one knows what goes on behind the closed doors of a retired serviceman, but I can guarantee you, a lot of them work tirelessly to continue to serve and protect in ways we will, and should, never know. Toby Keith’s lyrics “I don’t do it for the glory, I just do it anyway” and really just that whole song “American Soldier” really hits home for a lot of the men and women of WYLE in addition to all prior, current and future enlisted men and officers. With 9/11 in our past and in our future we all need to be sure we do what we can to honor those who honor us by serving. Whether it’s geing involved with your local American Legion, volunteering at the VA, which has over 700,000 men and women waiting for their claims to be put into the system, visiting a wounded warrior, donating to a reputable chairity that supports veterans and wounded warriors or taking a lesson from companies like WYLE and hiring veterans. Additionally, I’d like to thank Nonno Tony’s in Galveston, TX for hosting us two days in a row! It was quite fun sneaking in the second crew, Jay and Jackie Bowen, and keeping it secret from the first crew, Bill and Cheryl Laramore! I’m sure they know if they are looking at 31 of TDGT! The Gumbo was dreamy! Thank you Nassar for your impeccable service and thanks to Bob & Marilyn Harris for the recommendation.
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Good New Gazee Alive and Well In the Twenty-First Century
By Deborah K. Martin Sometimes it is comforting to know there are things which never change. Things which comfort us, like a mother’s love. Things which protect us, like soldiers on the battlefield or cops between us and the bad guys. That there are sunrises and sunsets which come without fail. Hearts which go on beating day after day without our having to put in any
thought or effort. Then there are the ‘not so good’ things which stubbornly stay with us no matter how hard we wish them to go away; no matter how hard we work to rid ourselves of their presence. Those stubborn pounds around my mid-section. Hay fever in the spring. Heat and humidity in the summer. High gasoline prices. Traffic. Politicians who lie. Reality television shows. Animosity between the races. That last one is the topic for today, mainly because last week was the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King’s famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. It is worth re-
membering and wondering how much, if any, progress our country has made in the pursuit of equality among all races. Sadly, in the last few years it seems all we hear about is race. Many thought that with the election of a black president racism would improve or magically disappear. I mean, didn’t we all say, “Look at us. We elected a black man. Aren’t we good? Isn’t that proof we aren’t racist anymore?” But no, that has not happened. In fact, it sometimes feels as if things are worse than ever. If you disagree with our president it must be because he is black and you are racist. If you want voters to present
photo ID it must be because you are racist and don’t want minorities to vote. If you want immigration reform to include accountability for people illegally entering and working in our country you must be a racist. If you want welfare to be severely limited you must be a racist. Sounds like a very bad comedy routine, doesn’t it? Our country is so polarized we can’t even have a rational discussion on the issue because both sides are so emotionally entrenched in their viewpoint. We can’t seem to set aside our old gut reactions long enough to see things from the other side and what we need very much is to see things from the
that giant slingshot that shoots high school kids into a state fair orbit. It’s a relief because no one expects us to do that. And when we were young enough to actually do that, thankfully, the diabolical state fair scientists hadn’t invented the darn thing yet. Cruising around, you get to see everyone at their best. Best fair-type clothing. Best behavior. Best smiles. If you scowl at any point during a visit to the state fair, you either aren’t trying very hard or someone ran off
with your date. And we make those little secret promises to ourselves, too. You see, we’d love to win a ribbon for making a quilt, or raising an animal, or taking a fabulous photograph or coming up with the best painting in the whole state. But not all of us can do those things. Maybe there should be some other categories for the rest of us, such as finding a parking spot close to the fairgrounds that doesn’t cost $5. Practical things. Or how about a ribbon for not missing a day’s work all
HOME COUNTRY
By Slim Randles September means pencils, books and teacher’s dirty looks for the youngsters, but it also means state fair season. That’s when the world’s largest September 2013
zucchini squash is at its prime, of course. The farm animals are all shed off and shiny and cute, their horns polished to diamond-like perfection by hard-working and hopeful kids. The state fair is an annual pilgrimage of sorts, the fairgrounds another temporary home. We need to touch base with turkey legs, corn dogs and deep fried everything. We who sport gray in our hair, or no hair at all, can look with relief at
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other side. Last weekend I went to see a movie; Lee Daniels’, “The Butler”. I was a little reluctant because frankly, I’m a bit tired of hearing about race all the time. Race can’t possibly be the cause of everything wrong in America. Something compelled me; however, and I’m glad I went. It turned out to be a very powerful movie and if it doesn’t win quite a few Oscars (beginning with Oprah Winfrey and Forrest Whitaker) I’ll be very disappointed. Some have said it is not completely accurate. Ronald Reagan’s son is upset at the sort of, kind of, almost racist portrayal See Alive And Well pg 26 year? Or for being a nice guy and always letting other drivers change lanes in front of you. Somehow, though, we have to be content with just knowing we did those things, so we can feel like a state fair blueribbon winner inside. --------Join the conversation wherever you go. Good hearing keeps you connected with friends and loved ones. Call BELTONE at 1-866-867-8700 to schedule your FREE hearing screening.
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Sports & Outdoors Tim Corwin serves as the Special Events Coordinator for Bass Pro Shops in Pearland, TX. Corwin is an avid hunter and fisherman since age 6, an Eagle Scout,Texas Volunteer Angler Instructor and all around nice guy! Tim strives to find the balance between work, children's activities and outdoor adventures. TDGT is grateful to Tim for finally, after months of begging, to write an article for us. We first met Tim at the NRA convention along with Chance from A&E’s Swamp People. Yep. We’ve been beggin that long! Enjoy! By Tim Corwin College football has started, the heat of late summer is still upon us but Happy Hunting Season! Dove season started on Sunday, September 1 except for those unlucky enough to hunt in the South Zone. By all reports, and the seemingly endless Facebook posts of my friends, it looks like a great year. We are still in drought conditions across much of the State, but the timing of the rains we received has helped produce a better than average year for wildlife and we have a great dove population this year. Don’t forget to obtain a new hunting license and although most hunters have done so, those of us who only fish should probably take a look at their license as well to ensure that it’s still valid. The State of Texas made changes in the last few years, including offering fishing licenses that were valid from the date of purchase for one year, but that can lead to confusion if you don’t remember the anniversary of that purchase. Take a moment to check it and save the cost of a very expensive ticket! While you are outside enjoying the hunting season, remember that it’s hot. That sounds silly, considering that you will know the moment you walk outside, but a few simple precautions will save you some frustrations, or possibly heatstroke later. If you know you are going to be hunting, drink plenty of water – not when you
September 2013
are going, but during the day while you are at work. Caffeine, and regretfully that includes Diet Coke tend to dehydrate the body so skip those – yes, I feel your pain. Consider investing in a camelback or other hydration pack so that you have a steady supply of water and then remember to take a drink every 15 minutes. If you are hunting with children, set an alarm to remind them to drink frequently and remember that they do not handle heat as efficiently as adults. They also tend to wait until they are thirsty to drink, which means they are already getting dehydrated. If you are hunting with dogs, the heat is possibly worse for them, so keep them cool and offer plenty to drink. It will keep them in good shape and able to handle retrieves in the heat. I wanted to take a few minutes and talk about a recent fishing trip that was a great way to end the summer. Perhaps you can answer this, but what is it about going hunting or fishing that causes lost sleep? Wednesday night, I mean Thursday morning, was the perfect example. What better way to usher in the end of summer/back to school season than by going fishing with your eldest child? It was Daddy/Daughter Day, going fishing as we have done since she was three years old. Rather than hitching up the boat or heading for the pier, this trip, was to be a little different. After far too may work conflicts and missed opportunities, we were taking George Young of Texas Coastal Kayaks, up on his extremely gracious offer for Alexandra and me to spend a morning paddling a kayak. I’ll have to admit a sense of elation when she thought the trip was a great idea. After all, children have different interests as they mature and as a rising high school senior with a full social calendar, we have gone from the days of the Snoopy fishing rod to cheerleading, to driving and to ‘gulp’ planning college visits. As if there weren’t enough reasons in that sentence to lose sleep, her immediate “that would be really cool” meant a lot. After spending
a fitful few hours tossing and turning while endless questions ran through my head “packed both sets of reels, rods are by the door, new pliers are in the dry bag, toilet paper… toilet paper… oops, don’t forget that” we were headed for coffee and breakfast. We met George before sunrise and headed off to Christmas Bay. I personally have not used a kayak in a few years and have never fished from one, but my daughter’s summer camp has several and she confidently pronounced herself comfortable. George was an extremely gracious host, careful to cover safety and how to maneuver, especially with the added encumbrance of fishing gear. Perhaps the most important lesson was how to board. I paid careful attention. You know that five minutes after an unplanned exit, there would be a video on YouTube entitled “Look at Dad Upside Down in the Bay, or What We Did on Summer Vacation.” Within 15 uneventful minutes though, we were paddling, rather than motoring towards one of our favorite fishing locations. One thing to keep in mind is no matter how careful you are, kayaking is a wet sport. Given the destructive power of salt water, I had recently purchased a few Ascend Light-weight 10 Liter Dry Bags from Bass Pro Shops. They weigh almost nothing and are perfect for camping too, especially given my ability to cause a drought year to turn into a 100year flood merely by suggesting that I was going camping. We are fortunate enough to live in bird-watching paradise and I never like to be outside without a pair of decent binoculars. On this trip, they were great for watching a coyote run away from us across the marsh flat just inside San Luis Pass. I’ve never seen coyotes in the dunes but it is not an urban legend and that was a huge coyote! Typically when I fish Christmas Bay, I’m in a small boat. Although the birds are accustomed to people and boats, you can get a lot closer in a kayak than you’d imagine and bird
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watching is not only fun for species identification, it’s a great way to find fish. When fishing in saltwater, one isn’t required to use equipment designed specifically for saltwater fishing but you probably will be much happier if you do. Regardless of your choice, it’s mandatory to wash it carefully when finished. If you fail to do that, don’t be surprised when you pick up your favorite reel and find that it no longer seems to work properly. Saltwater is horribly corrosive and it will eat anything it can. Cleaning is as simple as washing it off in the kitchen sink with warm water and applying a coat of Reel Magic, and/or oiling the parts that require it. I simply cannot understand why people will spend significant money for outstanding equipment and not take care of it. Your fishing trip is not finished until you have taken that extremely important step! On our trip, I took my standard rig, a 7’ medium weight rod and casting reel, along with two spinning rigs. Given that my daughter hasn’t fished much in the last year, I didn’t want her to spend the morning relearning the casting rig (or to spend it de-tangling the same) and you don’t have the same freedom of motion in a kayak that you would have in a boat so it’s nice to be able to cast when one is in a bit of a contorted position. Being ever the gentleman, I gave Alexandra the brand new, just out of the box, reel with a new rod, while I used the exact same combination, albeit older. A funny thing about fishing, you learn something from every trip. Any time I have seen dolphins; I have always thought that my day was over, at least in that spot. You may have noticed that it is hot this summer, and fish are quite sensitive to the heat, especially those who require more oxygen-rich water. As water warms, especially in the heat of August in Texas, it does not hold as much oxygen as cooler water. That is why fish move to deeper water during the heat of the day, unless they just happen to be feeding in the shallows. Our plan of attack was to look for redfish along grassy edges, working towards the guts and deeper channels. After spending an hour or so
working shorelines with Alex having some impressive hookups, I noticed several dolphins about 200 yards away, explosively attacking prey along a drop off. No matter what it might do to the fishing, it’s impressive to watch a fish weighing several hundred pounds coming mostly out of the water with a decent-sized redfish in it’s mouth. I commented to George that we might as well consider moving along and he replied that I should probably get my lure in the water quickly. What I didn’t realize is that the dolphins had trapped the redfish against the shelf we were paddling across and the fish were moving into the shallows to escape. Within minutes, George laughed and said “see what I mean” as his drag began to sing. Shortly thereafter, Alex yelled “Whoa Whoa Whoa!” and I looked over to see a deep bend in her rod as the fish pulled her in her kayak. George quickly landed his red and as he was closer to where Alex was being dragged, he paddled to her while she fought through several long runs. Shortly thereafter, George netted Alex’s first redfish – a gorgeous 27 ¾ incher she promptly named Carl. The lesson that was impressed from that moment forward was not to dismiss the possibility of catching fish out of hand just because of the presence of a dolphin. In this case, we would not have had the chance had they not pushed them to us. Thanks flipper! All in all, we had a fantastic time. George Young could not have been any more patient and instructive. I am now in the market for a second of my favorite spinning combos as Alexandra, who caught not only her first redfish, but also her first speckled trout and her first flounder (her first Texas Slam!), owns the other. How did I do you ask? It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words so I’ll just let the last photo of the day do my bragging. To reach George Young of Texas Coastal Kayak, call 713 501 0636, and check out their website at TexasCoastalKayak.com
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World & Local Texas, Taxes and Syria in Spotlight Brady Briefing; Congressman Kevin Brady serves as Chairman of the Joint Economic Commiee and as senior member of the House Ways & Means Commiee, where he chairs the Subcommiee on Health. This week, I continue to hold more town hall meetings on tax reform. Our efforts to stop ObamaCare, questions about border security and immigration, wasteful Washington spending and now Syria are issues on our constituents’ minds as well. These 30 town halls in August and September are how I hold myself accountable to those I work for - you. The views and opinions I hear are hugely helpful in representing you on the critical issues facing America today. Check our website for a town hall near you or visit our tax reform website at http://www.kevinbrady.ho use.gov/taxreform to make your voice heard. *** I and others in the U.S. House called on the President to seek approval from Congress be-
fore initiating any military action against the Assad regime in Syria, and he has announced he will do so. There are two firm principles that I apply to any use of American military force: Is there a direct national security interest for America and is this interest so strong that it justifies sending American men and women into harm’s way? Our fighting forces are the best in the world, but we jeopardize their lives without a clear mission and 100 percent support to complete that mission using their full power. It worries me today that our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan appear to be fighting with one hand tied behind their back that's not acceptable. *** Despite a sound defeat in the U.S. Supreme Court, the Department of Justice is suing Texas over our state’s reasonable and popular voter identification law. It's already working well in recent elections. This is more targeting of
Texas by a White House that frankly detests our state. The U.S. Supreme Court clearly ruled that voting rights laws should apply equally to all states rather than just a few. I predict this latest White House targeting will fail and Texas will progress with stopping and deterring fraud at the ballot box. *** Nearly 10,000 baby boomers will retire each and every day for the next two decades. This places a tremendous strain on important programs like Medicare. It also means we will need tens of thousands more physicians and medical professionals to treat them.
or finding they can no longer afford to see Medicare patients. *** As we prepare to remember the 12th anniversary of 9/11, let’s all come together to remember the nearly 3,000 innocent people who lost their lives in the World Trade Center, our Pentagon and in a now sacred field in Pennsylvania. Let’s remember our fallen heroes -- our police and firefighters who ran into collapsing buildings determined to save lives. We cannot let 9/11 fade from our memories. As we learned from the Boston Marathon Bomb-
ings earlier this year, jihadists have not given up on attacking Americans. Just two months after 9/11, former President George W. Bush said “Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children.” Amen, Mr. President. Amen.
We face a real doctor shortage in America. While the White House and several federal agencies – including the IRS – have hired new agents and enforcers for ObamaCare, they’ve done absolutely nothing to address this growing crisis. In fact, they are making it worse as more Texas doctors are retiring
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BAHEP Organizes Regional Municipalities to Take Immediate Action on Flood Insurance Reform Act BAY AREA HOUSTON, TX – Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership hosted over 50 representatives from regional cities within Brazoria, Harris and Galveston counties for an urgent discussion about the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 and actions that need to be taken to protect the citizens and cities of Bay Area Houston from potential disastrous repercussions of the act. Congressman Randy Weber, State Sen. Larry Taylor, and representatives from the offices of Sen. John Cornyn, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Congressman Steve Stockman joined elected officials from the region that included Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman. What is the Biggert-Waters Act and what does it change? Nassau Bay Mayor Mark Denman chaired the
meeting and gave a presentation about the Biggert-Waters Act. He explained that in July 2012, Congress passed and President Obama signed the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act. It extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for five years. It also calls for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other agencies to make changes to the way in which the NFIP operates. The act makes several major changes. Higher insurance premiums will be charged for homes and businesses below the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). For example, rates for certain homes in high-risk areas will increase 25 percent per year over the next four years starting in 2013. No discounts will be given to homeowners for properties below the BFE, even if they met the building code at the time they
were built. Pre-FIRM and grandfathered rates are phased-out, as well. FIRM stands for Flood Insurance Rate Map. Older structures built before a community’s first flood map was issued are known as pre-FIRM buildings. The grandfather rule applies to homes that were built in compliance with the flood map that was in effect at the time of construction. Finally, subsidized insurance rates will be phased out for all properties except pre-FIRM primary residences that have not lost their qualification for the rate. Homeowners impacted: The rules for NFIP will change, and the new flood maps compound the problem by changing the BFE and increasing the floodplain. In some areas, the BFE has been raised by as much as five feet. Rates for flood insurance will increase dramatically for many. It has been estimated that pre-FIRM rates and rates for homes with repetitive losses could start at $10,600 per year. Homes in the floodplain may become difficult to sell due to this increase and may potentially lose their value. Housing vacancy rates have the potential to rise, and
homeowners with no mortgage my simply drop flood insurance, which they can no longer afford. Sen. Taylor stated that the economic ripple of the act could be huge. Property tax base affected: The potential devaluation of property could decrease the property tax base. This tax base provides crucial funding for operation and maintenance of city infrastructure. City services would also be detrimentally affected leading to a potential increase in slum and blight and greatly harming economic development. What can be done? Bob Mitchell, BAHEP president, said that the Biggert-Waters Act is a very serious problem for the entire region. Many properties that were in the 500-year flood plain are now in the 100-year flood plain, which dramatically affects their flood insurance rates. Biggert-Waters will not only affect the Bay Area Houston region but also any region in the country with homes and businesses in a flood plain – coastal areas as well as property along rivers and around lakes. Mitchell spoke directly to Congressman Weber and the other congressional representatives saying, “At the end of the day, you are the ones who are going to have to help us. We need to know what we can provide to you to make your job easier.” Congressman Weber replied that he will
meet with the Texas delegation upon returning to Washington following Congress’ August recess. He requested that he be sent a white paper before Labor Day with a succinct description of the day’s presentation which he could share with his colleagues in Congress. Rachel David, Sen. Cornyn’s deputy regional director, commented that the senator is aware of the issue and has asked that he be given as much information as possible as to what needs to be done. He also suggested that the mapping be examined to determine if there are any non-accredited levies which haven’t been taken into account. FEMA won’t be finalizing the new flood maps for 18-24 months. There was additional discussion about stopping the implementation of the act in order for time to conduct an economic impact study as well as forming a coalition of city officials and flood plain managers to dissect the Biggert-Waters Act and come up with a list of items that need to be changed to accompany the impact study. Before closing, Mitchell thanked everyone for their participation especially on short notice. Informal discussions continued among the participants well after the meeting adjourned. Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership is a member-driven organization that provides the leadership to stimulate regional economic development and employment in southeast Texas. Its members include aerospace, petrochemical, and healthcare companies, developers, bankers and real estate brokers, 13 cities, Galveston and Harris counties, and the Port of Houston Authority. Visit www.bayareahouston.com See FEMA pg 18 for followup efforts
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The Dam Good Times 855.500.TDGT (8348) news@thedamgoodtimes.com www.thedamgoodtimes.com facebook, twitter Publisher: Crystal Laramore Assistant-to-the-Editor: Summer Keys Editors: Cheryl Laramore, Connie Strong Sr. VP Social Media/Marketing: Sylvia Saba Photography: Crystal Laramore, Suzanne Murphy York, Mark York, Penny Uselton, Joe Hubbard Contributors: Connie Strong, Penny Uselton, Paula Garcia, Laurie McMurrey, Suzanne Murphy York, Deborah Martin, Tim Corwin, Matt Bruner, Slim Randles, General Cisco, Wounded Warriors, Patriots, American Legion Posts and Friends of The Dam Good Times© Copyrights, The Dam Good Times, League City, Texas 2013 ____________________________________________________ The Dam Good Times is a monthly, locally owned and operated newspaper and is published by The Dam Good Times in League City, TX. You can reach us by mail at POB 2911, League City, TX 77574. TDGT welcomes any comments or suggestions submitted in writing to the paper. Any editorials or opinions used in this publication are those of the writers and in no way reflect the views and opinions of The Dam Good Times. TDGT is currently circulating thousands of copies throughout Texas and 18 other states by retail, subscriptions and occasional random distribution. Subscription rates are $40/year. TDGT expects honest advertising standards from its patrons and does not in any way take responsibility for false or misleading advertisements. All contents of The Dam Good Times are reserved and we prohibit reproduction of the items without permission. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Dam Good Times, POB 2911, League City, TX 77574
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Biggert-Waters Follow-Up Efforts FEMA Committee Participants, Bob Mitchell and I want to thank Dave Norman from Congressman Stockman’s office, and Dickinson Councilmember Wally Deats for their quick investigative work and the priority they have given these issues. They have both uncovered some interesting information related to BiggertWaters. From Dave Norman: Gentlemen, There is no doubt a move to freeze or halt the implementation of new maps and re-look the Grandfathering. Both authors are backtracking now that the true outcome is obvious. I spent a considerable time on the issue with Congressman Stockman this morning and he frankly will support anything to stop implementation. He fully understands that communities that have played by the rules, and have had the rules changed drastically by the Federal Government. His greatest concern is low income or fixed income retirees that this will devastate financially, followed by the second and third order effects economically of the communities and constituents he represents. I am tasked with telling him what he needs to do. He is fully on board with making it happen. Info September 2013
like the economic study might be helpful but he's committed to cause either way. We can’t repeal BW12 as its our authorization for the NFIP Program for the next four years but no doubt it can be amended. Senator Cruz staff also met with me this morning as they felt they were behind the eight ball, but we will quickly have them up to speed. Also, if you think it would help I would be happy to speak to City Councils, groups, or other Interested parties on this subject as part of Congressional Representative for Congressman Stockman or as part of BAHAP or coalition of cities/citizens. Respectfully, Dave Norman From Wally Deats: Bob, I talked with Merrideth Connely at congresswoman Water's office (202-226-2888). She stated that Waters has joined with Mr. Richardson to introduce a bill HR2199 to delay re-pricing and rework the flood maps nationwide. The bill is attached to a Homeland security bill and was introduced in May. It is currently in the Financial Services committee for consideration. Mr. Hensarling of Texas is the chair of this committee and Mr. Neugebauer of Texas is the sub-commit-
tee chair. The insurance expert at Water's office is Lisa Leaderberger, but she is on vacation. I have not verified any of this information with the committee, nor do I know when it might make it to the floor. Regards, Wally Deats, Councilman Position 4 Dave Norman provided us with a link to the bill that Councilmember Deats mentioned above http://www.govtrack.us/co ngress/bills/113/hr2199 While these emails are encouraging, we need to keep the heat turned up and continue in our efforts, including the resolutions the we are encouraging everyone to pass and send to their representatives. We’re anxiously waiting to hear back from our friends at UH-CL this week about the study they can do for us. I’ve also attached a copy of the press release that we sent out this morning to many of our local media outlets. Please keep Bob and me updated on any information that you see that should be sent out to the entire group. We will do our best to keep emails limited to no more than one per day. David Braun Marketing Manager Aerospace Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership
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The Federal Reserve's Next Hundred Years The bickering over Bernanke's successor is a sideshow. What's really needed is a debate about Fed policy. By Kevin Brady President Obama ignited a contest over who will be the next Federal Reserve chairman when he hinted in a June television interview that Ben Bernanke would be replaced when his term expires at the end of January. Lost in the current battle of personalities is what really matters—the policies that the next Fed chairman should follow, and a careful appraisal of the institution's capacity to help or harm the American economy. Thus far the campaign has pitted Janet Yellen, the Fed's vice chairman, against Larry Summers, the "former everything" in recent Democratic administrations. The choice has been portrayed as Ms. Yellen's experience in monetary policy, her collegiality and respect for the institution versus Mr. Summers's brilliance, abrasiveness and partisanship. Mr. Summers's Democratic backers promote him as the sole person who can successfully manage the wind-down of the Fed's quantitative easing programs and the normalization of interest rates. Many in Ms. Yellen's corner criticize Mr. Summers for promot-
ing policies as secretary of the Treasury (from 1999 to 2001) that helped to inflate the housing bubble whose collapse caused the financial crisis in 2008. The Federal Reserve is the lead regulator of the nation's banks—and Ms. Yellen's backers say that Mr. Summers is compromised as a regulator because he's been a paid consultant to Wall Street financial institutions. Janet Yellen, vice chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, has made it clear in speeches that she would continue the Fed's policy of extraordinary quantitative easing probably well beyond the point where even its architect (Mr. Bernanke) might question its usefulness. Mr. Summers has issued contradictory statements on the future of monetary policy at a time when markets are dependent upon clear communication and a clear road map for Fed policy. The bickering between the Summers and Yellen camps should not distract the country from what should be an opportunity to seriously examine the future direction of Federal Reserve monetary policy. That is the goal of legisSee Federal Reserve pg 21 Page 18
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Boundsautoplex.net Holder’s Justice Department Just Can’t Leave Texas Alone Another Federal Lawsuit over Texas’ Voter ID Law is AG’s Latest Embarrassing Move ping the Supreme Court Texas will stop fraudsters Conroe, TX – Despite a on this,” said U.S. Confrom having unfettered sound defeat in the U.S. gressman Kevin Brady. access to the ballot box. Supreme Court, the DeOur citizens expect no partment of Justice is fil- “Mr. less and new efforts to ing a new lawsuit against force Texas back Texas. This suit, filed under the Justice against the state, ATTENTION Department’s the Texas Secretary Republicans! boot will not of State, and win this rodeo.” the Director of “Give it the Texas The San Jacinto Republican Club a rest, Mr. Department Holder,” of Public meets the first Tuesday of each concluded Safety, month. Meetings are held at Brady. claims that “Texas IS Texas’ Voter the Community Center in Coldprotecting ID Law is spring, TX the voting unconstitutional rights of its and in violation citizens by enof a remaining prosuring the sanctity of vision of the Voting the ballot box.” Rights Act. “I’m not a lawyer, but I don’t see any good that Holder can come from overstep- should understand that
By KEVIN BRADY (To the Editor of The New York Times) In “Republicans and Democrats Both Miscalculated” (Op-Ed, Aug. 12), R. Glenn Hubbard and Tim Kane favored a new balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to control chronic federal deficits. Our country’s debt is a major problem that is slowing economic growth and inhibiting job creation. As voters come to a better understanding of the inverse relationship between debt and growth, the prospects for such an amendment will improve. Yet Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Kane do not include a component that is vital for the success of their proposal: the spending that must be capped is primary spending — all federal spending except interest.
The Dam Good Times is now HIRING Trained Sales Professionals, who want to lead a team, for the Lake Livingston, Clear Lake/Kemah/League City/Friendswood Areas. Send Resume to news@thedamgoodtimes.com
September 2013
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No Congress can control interest spending, which is a result of previous spending decisions and the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy. Nor should it. Fiscal responsibility should not rest upon Congressional interference with the Fed to keep interest rates artificially low to enable more federal spending. A result would be higher inflation. Putting enforceable guardrails around primary spending by future Congresses as proposed in the Maximizing America’s Prosperity Act avoids this unintended consequence and focuses Congress on spending it can and should control. If we are to have a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, let’s make sure that it is an effective one. The writer, a Texas Republican, is chairman of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee.
ATTENTION Republicans! The Polk County Republican Club meets the first Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at Shrimp Boat Manny’s on 190 in Livingston
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Don’t Tread on Me 89 Year-Old Woman Proving You’re Never too Old to Shoot! 89 year old Oklahoma girl, Helen Manning, believes in the 2nd amendment. Being raised on small farm in Oklahoma, she was introduced to firearms at an early age. Her family raised Turkeys and she and her sister were charged with keeping varmits away
from the Turkeys. She is looking forward to participating in the Rifle Shoot in October. She stated, “We need to preserve our rights and remember our freedom was paid for by men and women who served our country in the armed services”.
Mrs. Manning knows this first had because she is married to a military man! She still attends Military Shows and events. She has been a Texas resident for the last 50 years and yes, of course, she packs...”
September 14 & 15th Reliant Center Houston, TX
Support TDGT
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Federal Reserve lation that I introduced earlier this year, the Centennial Monetary Commission Act. The bill would create a 12-member, bipartisan commission that would objectively review the Fed's performance in terms of output, employment, prices and financial stability over its first 100 years. The commission would also study what legislative mandate the Fed should follow to best promote economic growth and opportunity. Advocates of different monetary regimes—discretionary policy, inflationrate-targeting, price-level-targeting, nominal GDP-targeting, a September 2013
gold standard— would have an open forum in which to make their case based on empirical evidence. After a comprehensive review involving our best monetary economists, the commission would make recommendations to Congress, as was done before the Fed was established. I believe the best way to grow jobs and the economy is for the Fed to focus on preserving the purchasing power of the dollar, as reflected in the Sound Dollar Act, which I introduced last year. Stanford economist John B. Taylor shares this view of the Fed's ideal policy. However, since 1977 the Fed has operated under a dual mandate: to maintain stable prices and to maximize employment. Under Paul Volcker and Alan Greenspan, Fed monetary policy focused on achieving price stability with low inflation. Two long, strong expansions were the result. A major policy shift occurred in December 2008, when the Federal Open Market Committee invoked the employment half of the dual mandate. Since then, maximum employment has been used to justify the extraordinary, interventionist actions
taken by the Fed, such as quantitative easing. The Sound Dollar Act would give the Fed a single mandate for price stability, provide for a smooth, orderly selloff of the non-Treasury assets on the Fed's balance sheet, and have the Fed formally articulate its lender-of-last-resort policy for dealing with financial crises, such as in September 2008. The legislation would accelerate the release of FOMC minutes to improve congressional oversight while protecting the Fed's independence. It would liquidate $50 billion of marketable assets in the Exchange Stabilization Fund that Treasury secretaries of both parties have used for unauthorized bailouts (such as Mexico in 1995 and guaranteeing money-market mutual funds in 2008). Finally, to ensure that the FOMC hears voices from the entire economy, all 12 regional Fed presidents would get a permanent seat on the panel. Nevertheless, I think the country would benefit from a bipartisan forum in which all monetary ideas can be thoughtfully examined to reach a consensus position for U.S. monetary policy. Such a policy consensus is far more important than Beltway political battles over who should head the Fed. Mr. Brady, a Republican congressman from Texas, is chairman of the Joint Economic Commiee.
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Crossword Puzzle Across
Last Month’s Answers
1. Passport endorsement 5. Take notice of 9. Bitter quarrel 13. Golf club 14. Notion 15. Pointer 17. Young male horse 18. Grime 19. Tenet 20. Heavy block where hot metals are shaped 22. Prejudice 24. Notable achievement 25. Cereal grass seed 26. Not in use 28. Pastry item 30. Color 31. Animal coat 32. Travel a route regularly 35. Modernize 38. Charter 39. Regret 40. Narrow secluded valley 41. Part of a journey 42. Scintilla 43. On the sheltered side 44. Something intended to deceive 46. Small storeroom for food 48. High-pitched bark 49. Peculiar 50. Pack of cards 51. Append 52. Conceited 53. Small fruit
seed 56. Endure 59. Slender 61. Evade 63. Theatrical performer 65. In addition 67. Region 68. Musical instrument 69. Without speed 70. Approach 71. Sketched 72. Rational 73. Small wooded hollow Down 1. Clergyman 2. Satire 3. Figure out 4. Not in favor of 5. Concealed 6. Comestible 7. Spooky 8. Information 9. Craze 10. Wear away 11. Exhort 12. Concave shape 16. Batch 21. Rhythmicity 23. Incite or stimulate 27. Scheduled to arrive 29. Anger 30. Prohibit 31. Mediterranean fruit 32. Poke 33. Stringed instrument 34. Period of time 35. Horrible 36. Supplication 37. Unfath-
omable 38. Jinx 41. Boy or man 42. Irritate 44. Brick carrier 45. Betting ratio 46. Hawaiian garland 47. Skin condition 50. Sweet dark purple plum 51. Make amends 52. Country house in ancient Rome 53. Food processed in a blender 54. Paragon 55. Sometimes found in an oyster 56. Circuit 57. Turns litmus paper red 58. Celestial body 60. Young girl 62. Bring ashore 64. Angry dispute 66. Be indebted to
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Obama’s New Executive Order Will Kill the 110-Year-Old Civilian Marksmanship Program The White House announced on Thursday that it intends to “ban almost all re-imports of military surplus firearms to private entities” through executive order, which would effectively shut down the 110-year-old Civilian Marksmanship Program. In a Fact Sheet published on Whitehouse.gov today referencing the upcoming executive order the ban on importing military weapons is designed to “keep military-grade firearms off our streets.” Exceptions for import may be allowed for museums. The CMP tightly controls the distribution of obsolete military weapons. The program was created by the U.S. Congress as part of the 1903 War Department Appropriations Act with the purpose of allowing civilians to hone their marksmanship skills, should they later be called into military service. Participants receiving firearms through the CMP must comply with all state and federal firearm laws and undergo a background check conducted by a dealer holding a Federal Firearms License in order to receive the gun. Additionally, they must also be a member of a CMP affiliated shooting club, making participating in the program more difficult than anyone trying to
purchase a firearm through usual retail channels. The Civilian Marksmanship Program was administered by the United States Army from 1916 through 1996 when it was changed to the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice & Firearms Safety, a 501(c) (3) organization federally chartered by the U.S. Congress. There is no data indicating any of the weapons involved in homicide were imported surplus military rifles. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s homicide crime statistics, rifles accounted for only 323 deaths out of 12,664 homicides in 2011, the most recent data set provided by the FBI. “Apart from a donation of surplus .22 and .30 caliber rifles in the Army’s inventory to the CMP, the CMP receives no federal funding,” the CMP website states, adding that they have been overwhelmed by requests and orders are taking 30-60 days to ship product. The rifles that the Executive Order would affect are typically from U.S. allies and are preVietnam era. Without the importation of these rifles, the CMP is likely to become defunct and thus destroying a 110 year tradition of saving military arms and their civilian ownership.
4 Votes Away LOSING Your Constitutional Rights In a 53-46 vote, the Senate narrowly passed a measure that will stop the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. The Statement of Purpose from the Bill reads: "To uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty." The U.N. (United Nations) Small Arms Treaty, which has been championed by the Obama Administration would have effectively placed a
global ban on the import and export of small firearms.
The ban would have affected all private gun owners in the U.S. and had language that would
have implemented an international gun registry on all private guns and ammo. Astonishingly, 46 out of our 100 United States Senators were willing to give away our Constitutional rights to a foreign power. Here are the 46 senators who voted to give your rights to the U.N. Baldwin (D-WI) Baucus (D-MT) Bennett (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Coons (D-DE) Cowan (D-MA) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) Harkin (D-IA)
Hirono (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kaine (D-VA) King (I-ME) Klobuchar (D-MN) Landrieu (D-LA) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murphy (D-CT) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schatz (D-HI) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Stabenow (D-MI) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Warner (D-VA) Warren (D-MA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR) TEA Anyone???
Texas Gun Owners To Urge Representative Gene Green To Support Common-Sense Background Checks HOUSTON, TX-At a Press Conference on Thursday, August 29th, Gun owners gathered in Houston to call on Rep. Gene Green to support comprehensive background checks that will help keep guns out of the wrong hands. Polls have found that 82 percent of gun owners -nationwide including 74 percent of NRA members-support life-saving, tough-oncrime background checks. There is cur-
rently bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House that would close the loopholes that make it easy for criminals and dangerous people to get guns. Introduced by Reps. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Mike Thompson (D-CA), the King-Thompson bill is the corresponding legislation to the amendment in the U.S. Senate introduced by Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Pat Toomey (R-PA). Gun owners will call on Rep.
Green to add his name to the list of more than 180 members of Congress who have co-sponsored the King-Thompson bill to keep guns out of the wrong hands and save lives. About Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 members to more than 1,000 mayors from across the country. The See Don’t Fall For It! pg 26
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Smokey Bear Warns “Fire-Danger Extremely High in National Forests” -- Stack extra wood upwind and away from the fire. -- After lighting, do not discard the match until it is cold. -- Never leave a campfire unattended, not even for a minute.
With little chance of rain in the forecast and drought conditions continuing to worsen, fire danger is extremely high across the East Texas forests. “As fall approaches and hunting season gets underway, more people will be in the woods,” Mark Van Every, Forest Supervisor for the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas said. “This is a critical time for our forests, and it’s important that visitors to the forest be extremely careful with campfires.” Remember Smokey Bear’s rules for campfire safety: -- In recreation areas, use the designated fire ring or picnic grill. -- If there is no fire ring or grill available, clear a three-foot area around the fire down to the soil. -- Keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby. September 2013
-- Douse the campfire with water and stir the ashes until it cold to the touch. “Also be careful with cigarettes,” he said. “Carelessly dropped cigarettes or matches are a major cause of grassfires, so make sure they are out cold before discarding.” He also cautioned people to be on the lookout for wildfires. “Be watchful for any fires that get out of control and to call local fire authorities as soon as a fire is spotted,” Van Every said. “We need help from our neighbors in surrounding communities during this dry season to ensure that the forests and property owners on adjacent lands are safe from careless wildfires.”
A Drive to Turn Texas Blue?...At the November 5th 2013 Constitutional Amendment Election Sent in by Marilyn Harris w/the Galveston Bureau of TDGT This takes time and concentration. Since it concerns Texas Constitutional Amendments, you might want to set aside some time to read it and understand it. There is a huge drive to turn Texas BLUE, and we have to vote intelligently! Amendments are very important! Below is the press release from the Secretary of States Office (SOS) about the upcoming Tuesday, November 5th 2013 Constitutional Amendment Election. I suggest sending this language of the amendments to your friends and contacts so we can all start making voters aware of the issues and the election. AUSTIN, TX – Texas Secretary of State John Steen selected the ballot order for the 9 proposed constitutional amendments to be voted on as part of the November 5 election. “This fall voters will be asked to approve 9 amendments to the Texas Constitution,” said Secretary Steen. “By randomly selecting the order in which the amendments appear, we can help ensure no amendment unfairly benefits from its placement The Dam Good Times
on the ballot.” The amendments will appear in the following order: Proposition 1 (HJR 62) The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed in action. Proposition 2 (HJR 79) The constitutional amendment eliminating an obsolete requirement for a State Medical Education Board and a State Medical Education Fund, neither of which is operational. Proposition 3 (HJR 133) The constitutional amendment to authorize a political subdivision of this state to extend the number of days that aircraft parts that are exempt from ad valorem taxation due to their location in this state for a temporary period may be located in this state for purposes of qualifying for the tax exemption." Proposition 4 (HJR 24) The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of part of the market value of
the residence homestead of a partially disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a partially disabled veteran if the residence homestead was donated to the disabled veteran by a charitable organization. Proposition 5 (SJR 18) The constitutional amendment to authorize the making of a reverse mortgage loan for the purchase of homestead property and to amend lender disclosures and other requirements in connection with a reverse mortgage loan. Proposition 6 (SJR 1) The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas to assist in the financing of priority projects in the state water plan to ensure the availability of adequate water resources. Proposition 7 (HJR 87) The constitutional amendment authorizing a home-rule municipality to provide in its charter the procedure to fill a vacancy on its governing body for which the unexpired term is 12 months or less. Proposition 8 (HJR 147 and SJR 54) The constitutional amendment repealing Section 7, Article IX, Texas Constitution, which relates to the cre See Keep Texas RED pg 25 Page 24
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Keep Texas RED ation of a hospital district in Hidalgo County. Proposition 9 (SJR 42) The constitutional amendment relating to expanding the types of sanctions that may be assessed against a judge or justice following a formal proceeding instituted by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Adding a sense of history to today’s event, the actual 1876 Texas Constitution was displayed and the amendments were drawn from a wooden box made from materials from the home where Texas delegates met at Washington-on-the-Brazos to declare independence from Mexico in 1836. “Texas still operates under the 1876 Constitution so its presence is a good reminder about the importance and lasting impact of amending this document,” said Steen. The 1876 Constitution and historic wood box were generously made available by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, which also hosted the event at the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building. As part of his presentation, Secretary Steen reminded voters that the November 5 election will be the first statewide election with new photo ID requirements in effect for voting in person. “Now is a good time for voters to make sure they have the appropriate September 2013
photo ID and update their registration if their voter registration does not match the name on their ID,” said Steen. “To learn more, voters are encouraged to visit: VoteTexas.gov or contact their county elections office.” Voters ages 65 and older and those with a disability may vote by mail for any election. For more information about voting in Texas, visit: www.votetexas.gov For more information about the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, including the 1876 Constitution, visit: https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ Don’t Fall For It! coalition has more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters, making it the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country. Co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has united the nation's mayors around these common goals: protecting communities by holding gun offenders accountable; demanding access to crime gun trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns. But,
Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees Explore Efforts to Modernize Medicare Program New Joint Paper Series Outlines Opportunities to Strengthen Quality of Medicare for Beneficiaries and Financial Outlook for Program Washington, DC – Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI), Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX), and Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (RPA) today released the first paper in a series examining the flaws in the existing Medicare program and outlining opportunities for reform. The series, Modernizing Medicare for the 21st Century, will outline a bi-
partisan approach that will both protect beneficiaries and reduce costs. With these papers, the Members seek “to initiate a discussion on how to protect seniors and place the Medicare program on sound financial footing.” The first installment of the Modernizing Medicare for the 21st Century series examines (1) the traditional Medicare cost-sharing framework and the impact current thresholds have on beneficiaries – often leaving them unprotected against catastrophic costs; (2) the
impact of supplemental coverage with low costsharing requirements that reduce incentives to seek cost-effective care; and (3) how modernizing the traditional cost-sharing features could better align beneficiary incentives, ensure beneficiaries greater out-of-pocket predictability and reduce overall Medicare costs. In the coming months, the series will continue to explore opportunities to modernize and strengthen the Medicare program for both today’s seniors and for generations to come.
Are you a fan of the television show Top Shot? Season 4 and All Star Competition contestant and author Gabby Franco
will be at Bass Pro Shops in Pearland, Texas on September 20 from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Gabby will have copies of her book, "Trouble Shooting: Mastering Your Pistol Marksmanship" for sale. At 6:00 p.m. she will be conducting a women only seminar on safety, not only gun safety, but personal safety as well. On Saturday, September 21, she will be conducting a women-only shooting class through Red Dawn Training, and on Sunday, September 22, a co-ed class. Tickets are required for the seminars and classes. For more information, contact Michelle at (979)415-5087 or via email at michelle@reddawntraining.com - training@gabbyfranco.com.
Did Anyone Ask YOU! The Dam Good Times
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Alive and Well of his father. A few are mad that the real butler’s life was not portrayed more accurately – a character and scene or two were not historic. Some don’t like that Jane Fonda portrays Nancy Reagan. People tend to forget that even though a movie may be based on a real person’s life that some things are inevitably changed to make a point in the time allotted; around two hours. Frankly, you can’t please everyone and these people have completely missed the point anyway. I found myself in tears several times during the course of the movie because I knew that whether the names were real or not, the events portrayed were all too real for the people who lived them. Please, please, please take a moment. Imagine if you will how YOU would feel if this happened to you ---You go into a local restaurant which has a bar. People eat lunch at this bar. It’s done every day. But not by you. Ever. Why not? You are intelligent. You dress well. You are polite. You are educated. You are – normal. Why then? Because your skin is not the right color. After much deliberation you decide to sit there anyway because you are just as good as everyone else so why not. What happens? First there are stares of disbelief; a few gasps of shock. The waitress asks you to move. You deSeptember 2013
cline. Politely. Soon several kids about your age come in and begin to harass you; call you names (which I will NOT write here). They whisper these names in your ears and then shout them. Mustard or ketchup is squirted in your hair; your face spat upon. Still you sit. Quietly. The thugs of the supposed right color knock your books and purses off the counter. As you reach to pick them up you are knocked to the floor and kicked repeatedly as the crowd loudly cheers them on. Before it is all over YOU are the one arrested and put in jail even though you never raised your voice and never laid a hand on anyone. All you wanted was to be served with everyone else. It has been over 150 years since slavery was abolished. No one can disagree that we as a society have come a long way in leveling the playing field. I can’t begin to name all the famous people of color who have made a name for themselves in a white dominated society. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, judges, entertainers, business men and women. From early on these people worked very hard to pave the way for today’s generation. To give them a good example to follow and many have. Sadly, some continue to blame others for their failings. My readers know that I am not a fan of President Obama but that
is a topic for another column. It is easy to understand, however, how moving it must have been on election night in 2008 for people of color to see him walk on stage as the first black man elected president of our country. There are many alive now who would never have believed it had they been told as children going to segregated schools that within their lifetimes there would be a president who looked just like them. It doesn’t matter whether you like THIS black president. If you have a heart at all you must see the significance of the event. During the scenes in ‘The Butler’ where lynching, murders, riot control with dogs and fire hoses, beatings and name calling were portrayed – I cried. My reaction was visceral; a response to my deeply held conviction that we are all equal under our skin and deserve to be treated with dignity. I find it shameful that so many white people thought then and continue to believe that we are somehow superior. I find this incomprehensible; unfathomable. I have a friend who says ‘they’ all do this and ‘they’ all do that referring to other races, not limited to black people. When are we going to get it?! There. Is. No. THEY. When are we ALL going to get it?! Black people as well as white people. Asian people. Hispanic people. We are all individuals to be judged as The Dam Good Times
individuals, not as groups. Racism will continue on even though I know it has diminished. As long as it is a badge of honor for a white person to say, “I have black friends.” As long we add the descriptor ‘black’ or ‘white’ in front of friend, doctor, waiter, football player, boss. As long as the N word is still uttered. As long as we distrust. How long will it be before we take the risk, make the leap and find it was only a small step and not a giant cliff? What was it Sidney Poitier’s character in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” said to his father as they discussed the possibility of his marrying a white woman? “Dad, you think of yourself as a colored man. I think of myself as a man.” I am a white woman. Does that matter to anyone? My dear friend, Felix, is Hispanic. Does that change the nature of our friendship? Not a bit. When will we get to the point where it doesn’t matter? Do we all have more invested in the idea that we’re black or white FIRST? Shouldn’t we be good people first and foremost? Shouldn’t our attention go to raising our children to be honest, hardworking, respectful citizens FIRST? Why do we let the color of our skin trump everything else? The color of my skin is an accident of nature. It has absolutely nothing to do with who I am inside or how I live my life. My character
does not come from my color. Nor does yours. Almost exactly 50 years ago the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech gave voice to truths which have stood the test of time. They still resonate 5 decades later. When a great truth is spoken it changes things. How can we go back? Another great thinker and contemporary of Martin Luther King, Jr., Maya Angelou, said this: “When you know better you do better.” We would ALL do well to study the many words of wisdom and enlightenment spoken to the universe over the last fifty plus years. Let them change our hearts and our attitudes. Meditate on the possibilities. Imagine a world where the following principle is a cornerstone for all of us, not just the privileged few.
“I have a dream,” he said, “that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
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The Great Outdoors Let’s Get to the Heart of Things Cedar Heart Wood That Is! By Robert Patrick Here in east Texas it is almost time for county fairs to get started in earnest. As I sit here in the early morning it’s 21 days to the start of the annual San Jacinto County fair and rodeo. I remember as a child attending the fair and as a young adult coming home during fair week to meet old friends, enjoy time away from the city and catch a bit of the rodeo action. In the old days folks from around the county would enter goods they had made by hand, all kinds of stuff, but I remember the can goods most of all, folks took pride in wining ribbons and gaining the recognition for a job well done and showing folks that they had not lost the art of outdoor and country living. For those who have followed my articles in the past you may already know I like to do things with my hands. I love the great outdoors and love, love, love finding things made by nature, whether it be wildcrafting foods from the forest and fields or a dying or dead tree or stump to be used in making furnishings for the home or office. I love to garden, forage, fish, hunt, go on mushroom forays September 2013
and I LOVE to create what I like to think of as works of art using wood. I have a yard full of stumps, logs, limbs, all of which I can see in my minds eye as becoming something special to that special person. Last year me and an old friend were busy building when we decided to grab a commercial booth at the fair. The SJC Fair and Rodeo runs for a week. This year it runs from September 22nd - 29th! Holton Currie and I have partnered up and we will have a booth so, stop by and say hello! Holton has been sawing logs a long time, not too sure when he got started, but he is set up to cut for folks who are looking for fresh cut timber. And, be rest assured, this is not the normal stuff you buy down at the local hardware store. Holton’s stuff is made in Coldspring, not China! When I started wood working I was using an Alaskan chain saw mill to cut all my flat lumber, for building tables, and I have since graduated “up the chain” by helping out at Holton’s mill when he needs a hand. I like helping. Helping people is one of the things I have the time to do now that I
have slowed my life down a bit. Mind you, I still work from dawn to dusk, but its at things that I really enjoy, so I really don’t call it work. This year Holton and I have two booth spaces and we are each creating pieces to show. I am building three major items; a massive 12ft solid eastern red cedar table, a bar/table/tree center piece and a cedar post bed using heart wood cedar. About the bar/table/tree center piece: well, you’ll have to see this piece to really appreciate it’s glory. It has an 8ft long stand-up bar, it’s about 20in wide and several inches thick, the eating or sit down table is 6ft long and about 30in wide and the tree trunk is about 12in in diameter, 8ft tall and is the central vertical part of the structure, the table and bar tops will have root flair stumps as legs, this will be truly a one of a kind piece! The heart wood cedar I am using is absolutely one of the most beautiful woods you will lay your eyes on! What is heart wood cedar? Are you aware of the ERC (eastern red cedar) we have in East Texas but not to sure about The Dam Good Times
the heart wood? ERC is a wood that highly bug & rot resistant b/c it has aromatic oils that ward off bugs and helps preserve the wood from rotting. When a cedar tree dies in the woods or becomes so old as to not have any sap wood on its outer trunk, all that’s left is the heart of the tree. This is the really red part of cedar, the white or outer portion is called the sap wood and is less dense, and where the bugs, that do chew on cedar, like to live. Yes, a few bugs do chew on this wood. They lie just under the bark and make the most cool looking bug tracks. Heart wood is much harder to find as a full trunk or log b/c the tree dies from storm damage, old age or drought. If the cedar tree remains standing for long periods, it becomes very dense, retains its deep red color and usually has some very interesting
character. You’ll get the look of reds and whites swirling together, making distinct separations; cat eyes, burls, knots, each with it’s own unique look and appeal. Each piece I work on keeps me excited and interested to the end. When working with beautiful, majestic wood like Cedar heart wood, it requires 100% focus into the work and into the wood. Some call it rustic furniture, but my work is highly refined and the surfaces are more akin to polished stone and the luster does not lend itself to the word rustic. We will have pieces from a few hundred to several thousand on display. Hope to see you all at the fair! http://www.indiancreekfarm.co or meet me on Face Book at https://www.facebook.co m/robert.patrick.505
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The Dam Gossip Pure Entertainment!! By Penny Uselton LIVINGSTON, TX- A great time was held all at the latest “Ogden Country Jubilee” set in the new convention theater complex for the first time. A raised stage coupled with the first rate, well planned acoustics and exceptional sound system made it a delight for the 1,000 + patrons. In particular, the Ogden Girl’s comedy routines and
Donna B, “the Ebony Cowgirl”, had the audience laughing and getting into the swing of things by literally swaying with the music; tapping their feet; clapping their hands; snapping their fingers (if they could) and at times singing along with the performers. The evening consisted of country, country western and some gospel music. The master of ceremonies, Mr. Billy Don Hampton,
Crystal’s Bistro
did an exemplary job of introducing the performers and gave a very patriotic statement that brought the house to its feet to sing “America the Beautiful” with William Well’s accompaniment. Hometown 9th grader Cole Jones’s voice was exceptional! We expect to hear a lot more from him in the future! Don’t miss out other upcoming Main Street events!
Pictured in the middle is Cozer Foster with his family and myself with TDGT. Mr. Foster served on the Baleship Texas! He was flown to the Baleship this summer and honored for his bravery and service to our country. Special thanks to Bruce Bramle, Executive Director of the Baleship Texas, for the opportunity to meet Mr. Foster!
Baseball, Apple Pie & Chevrolet!
BOUNDSAUTOPLEX.NET September 2013
The Dam Good Times
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Rumor Has It... ...Robert Hill Trapp is switching to the Republican Party AND running for District Attorney...find out more at the SJC Republican Club Meeting Tuesday, 10 Sept at the Community Center in Coldspring, TX... ...SJC Republican will host their monthly meeting Tuesday September 10th, 6pm, at the Community Center in Coldspring, TX . There will be several Key Note Speakers: 1. Senator Robert Nichols - guest-speaker 2. Bob Price (political commentator on Houston's Fox 26 and KHOU, Houston Channel 11) guest-speaker. 3. Phillip Hayes – Representative from the Greg Abbott campaign ...Harley-Davidson turns 110 this year! HarleyDavidson is made in America and Davidson’s granddaughter and grandson still have a heavy hand in the company, making sure the traditions are passed on from generation to generation! ...Do you know what HOG stands for? Harley Owners Group! Who knew? ...Former Galveston County District Aorney and Galveston County Court At Law Judge Ron Wilson
have consulted the thousands of women in Livingston, TX who passed around this book like it was “The Secret”...:) I only read 5 maybe 12 chapters and even I don’t like the male lead choice or the female for that matter...shouldn’t that have gone to Emma Watson (pic 4)? Or Nena Debrov? You have to admit, TDGT Choices are far better than Hollywood’s choices...Just sayin’...Vote on TDGT facebook page!
passed away. Funeral arrangements are pending... ...Houston’s top prosecutor, Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson, has died after battling cancer, officials said Saturday. He was 57. Belinda Hill, the District Attorney’s Office first assistant, said Anderson’s death was “a terrible loss ... of a devoted public servant, husband and father.” Harris County Judge Ed Emmett was informed Anderson died Friday evening, said Joe Stinebaker, Emmett’s spokesman.
...What did you do this past Labor Day? Katie Couric got engaged to Financier
Anderson had revealed in mid-May he was being treated for an undisclosed type of cancer. He had only taken office in January... ...Ok all my crazy Livingston girlfriends; Mary, BJ, Debby, Terresa...The Male and female leads for Fifty Shades of Grey, the movie, are Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy (Pic 1) and Dakota Johnson (daughter of Don Johnson & Melanie Griffin Pic 2) Wouldn’t you rather have someone like Ian Somerhalfer, Ryan
John Molner, who is 6 years younger than Couric...Meow! ...Worst drivers in the U.S. are in Washington D.C. I bet it’s cuz theyre angry. ...There is a push to teach Sex-ed to five- year olds. PUSH BACK America. ...There are rumors that the govt. only wants your car to go up to 70 mph! Wake up America! Gosling, Colin Egglesfield, Matt Bomer or my fav Kahl Drogo (Pic 3) for the lead? Seriously. I think they should
...MOST of Texas is in a BURN BAN!
...Dates to Remember: ...9/11 ...Coldspring City Council meets the first Monday of every month in the City of Coldspring Building next to the Library on 150 San Jacinto Republican Club meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month in the Community Center in Coldspring San Jacinto County Commissioner’s Court meets: Tuesday Sept 10, 9am Wednesday Sept 25, 2pm Tuesday Oct 8, 9am Wednesday Oct 23, 2pm Tuesday Nov 12, 9am Wednesday Nov 20, 2pm (Third Wednesday) Tuesday Dec 10, 9am Wednesday Dec 18, 2 pm (Third Wednesday) Trades Day in Coldspring is the 4th Saturday of each month San Jacinto County Fair & Rodeo: Sept 20th-28th at the fair grounds on 150 Livingston, TX Trade Days at Pedigo Park off of HWY 59: Sept. 13, 14, 15 Oct. 18, 19, 20 Nov. 15, 16, 17 To advertise your event call TDGT @ 855.555.TDGT (8348)
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Social Media Business Block Twitter Preparing for $15 Billion 2014 IPO, Say Sources [Report] (AllTwitter) Twitter is preparing itself for an initial public offering (IPO) that could value the company as highly as $15 billion, reports The Sunday Times, citing anonymous (but nonetheless compelling) senior banking sources. Twitter's CEO, Dick Costolo, has already met with potential advisers from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, adds the paper, and is expected to select several investment banks in the weeks ahead in preparation for the stock market offering, which is anticipated to take place as early as the first quarter of 2014. The New York Times/Bits Blog Alex Macgillivray, Twitter's chief lawyer and the Internet industry's most prominent champion of free speech rights, announced on Friday that he would step down from his post, as the company expands its global footprint and prepares for a widely anticipated public offering sometime next year. The company announced the appointment of a new general counsel, Vijaya Gadde, who had managed the company's corporate affairs for the last two years. Macgillivray, who is better known as AMac, said he would continue in an advisory role. TechCrunch September 2013
"I'll continue to support the company and its great people by staying on as an advisor for the legal, trust & safety, corporate development and public policy teams," says Macgillivray. "I continue to care deeply about Twitter, the folks who work at Twitter and our tremendous users, so I'll remain close to all three. AllThingsD When contacted, a Twitter spokesperson offered no explanation for the departure. While several sources close to the situation said there were no issues around his job performance or other problems, they offered other reasons for his leaving. The Guardian In related news, Twitter will unveil its first Australian headquarters this week, appointing former Google Asia-Pacific executive Karen Stocks as its Australian managing director. The social networking giant has been steadily increasing its presence in Australia since late 2012, with a still-growing roster of staff and high-profile partnerships with several sporting codes and media organizations.
warded for his efforts. The Facebook flaw, explained in length on Kumar's blog, exploits the Facebook Support Dashboard. Considered "critical," the bug works with any browser and any version, but was most successfully exploited through mobile devices.
Facebook Flaw Allowed Hackers to Delete Posted Photos (CNET) A security flaw that allowed hackers to delete any image stored on Facebook has been discovered by Indian researcher Arul Kumar -and he has been re-
It's Now a Lot Easier to Use Your WordPress.com Custom Domain for Your Email Address (The Next Web) If you're a WordPress.com user with a custom domain set up for your blog, you'll now The Dam Good Times
How a Closed Facebook Group & Weight Watchers Helped Me Lose 94.6 Pounds (SocialTimes) On Tuesday, Aug. 27, I reached my Weight Watchers goal - I lost 94.6 pounds since January 2012. I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this feat without the constant support of my wife, Joy (who has also lost about 55 pounds on the program), other family and friends, my meeting leaders Jennifer and Crystal, and all the Weight Watchers members in our Port Jervis, N.Y., chapter. But there has been another resource that has really helped me get through the last few months of reaching my goal: Facebook.
be able to easily use that domain for your email address, directly from the WordPress admin console. WordPress.com parent company Automattic has launched a new Email Forwarding feature that lets you forward email sent to your blog's domain on to your existing email address with a few clicks. How Sam's Chowder House Stirs Facebook into its Marketing Soup (AllFacebook) One of the biggest challenges mentioned by small business owners when it comes to marketing on Facebook is devoting the necessary time. Julie Shenkman, owner of Sam's Chowder House in Half Moon Bay, Calif., spoke with Facebook about how the social network became one of the necessary ingredients in her marketing recipe. Did Syrian President's Son Hafez Assad Post Anti-U.S. Facebook Rant? (The Huffington Post) In a lengthy Facebook post this week, someone who evidence suggests is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's 11-year-old son denounced the United States and pledged to fight to the death to remain "in our holy land." The diatribe was posted by an account using the name Hafez Assad, according
to Gawker. Kobe Bryant Posts His First Vine (LostRemote) In just a few months the NBA will return to TV. Kobe Bryant, however, won't be as he recovers from a bad achilles injury. Instead, he's using Vine to stay relevant during his absence from television and the NBA. New Jersey Makes it Illegal for Companies to Demand Employee Social Media Info (The Daily Dot) With Gov. Chris Christie's signature, New Jersey recently became the latest state to pass a law preventing companies from asking for social media user names, passwords, or other account info from employees. Not that you've been making fun of your boss on Twitter ... right? Former Facebook Exec Launches Word Processing App Quip (AppNewser) Facebook's former chief technology officer Bret Taylor has created a new word processing app called Quip. It's a great tool for writers and editors to collaborate.
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TDGT Travels... ...to Westminster Abbey in London, England with Jim McKinley
...to Nonno Tony’s on Pier 21 in Galveston, TX w/Jay & Jackie Bowen
...to the Houston Gun Collectors Assoc. Gun Show in Stafford, TX with Pat Mercer
...the HCGA Gun Show in Stafford, TX with Happy! Happy! Happy!
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Honoring Those Who Honor Those Who Honor Us!
Every year the American Legion holds their convention in a different city. This year it was held in Houston, TX and was especially meaningful because my uncle, the famous retired army Colonel, William F. Laramore, lovingly called UB by me, (and now by his “colleagues”) attended the convention as a recipient of an honorable award. Bill Laramore is VP of WYLE; there’s a satellite office somewhere near you. His company received the Mid-Size Business of the Year award for hiring and retaining veterans. WYLE has an 88.2% rate for hiring and retaining military veterans. Jay Bowen, a retired Army Chief Warrant Officer, and his wife Jackie attend many of these events. Jay and Jackie work tirelessly at their American Legion Post in Colorado Springs, Co. Jay is pictured above (R) with UB (L) displaying the award, near a Harley no less! Pictured with my UB in the bottom left photo is his beautiful, loyal and patriotic wife, Cheryl Laramore, aka AC. If you are not a military wife, you have no idea the sacrifices military wives make and if you are... On thier 2nd date, Cheryl was handed the phonetic alphabet and told “you might want to learn that”. Not only did she learn THAT but she also re-vamped the Army Wives Support Group to be known as the Army Wives Readiness Group! God Bless them all and God Bless the United States of America!