Above is a video of me speaking the words of the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts while standing on the eastern end of Galveston Island. 

The video runs just over 90 seconds.

Behind me as I speak is a ship in Galveston Bay that is sailing out towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Simple Gifts is one of my favorite songs in the world.   

If you click this link, you’ll see the lyrics and the song will play.

The song was written by Joseph Brackett. Here are some very basic facts about Joseph Brackett.

Here is some information about Shaker music. 

Here is some history of the Shakers.

From that history—

One of the numerous religious sects who emigrated to American shores in search of religious freedom, the Shakers followed Mother Ann Lee to the United States in 1774. Here they established several colonies– the first in 1776 at Nikayuna near Albany, NY–whose governing principals included celibacy and agrarian communal living.

Here are some things you could see if you visited Galveston, Texas.

Here are some facts about Galveston Bay.

Here is the link to the Galveston Bay Foundation.

Here is a link where you can track the location of ships around the world. 

Here is some history of ships and boats.

The part of Simple gifts I like best is where it says that to bow and to bend we should not be ashamed. I would like to live my life by that principle, but so far I have lacked the discipline to do so.

The Texas State Board of Education is talking about changes in what  kids learn about history and social studies in public schools. They want to shift the curriculum away from the facts and towards the political and Christian right.

Here is a Houston Chronicle article on the subject.   

( Above–A schoolhouse in Maryville, Tennessee where Sam Houston taught in the early 1800’s. Here is the link to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum in Huntsville, Texas. This schoolhouse in Maryville is open to the public and has an interesting history. Please click here to learn more about it.)

The Wall Street Journal has also written about this subject. Here is the link to that story.  From the article—

“The Texas Board of Education, which recently approved new science standards that made room for creationist critiques of evolution, is revising the state’s social studies curriculum. In early recommendations from outside experts appointed by the board, a divide has opened over how central religious theology should be to the teaching of history.”

The articles here speak for themselves. What is to be taught is a right-wing inaccurate version of the facts. Parents, and all concerned citizens, can decide to take a role in this debate or they can just ignore it all.

Here is the link to the Texas State Board of Education.

People say that having kids changes you and that people care about their kids more than anything. What I see is apathy about education and parents who lack the imagination and the willingness to prepare kids for the demands of adulthood.

I’m happy to be proven wrong on this— But it won’t be individual examples of great education and great parenting that impress. I know these things take place all the time.

What will convince me is a well-educated society as a whole, and parents who take the time needed for their own kids and who are willing to meet the tax burden required to provide a decent education for all kids.  

In the meantime, if you’ve got a smart hard-working kid, bring the kid to Texas and take advantage of the weak competition for college spots and good jobs. 

 From the Houston Chronicle article—

Biographies of Washington, Lincoln, Stephen F. Austin? Not fit reading material for children in the early grades. Cesar Chavez? Not worthy of his role-model status. Christianity? Emphasize its importance. Such suggestions are part of efforts to rewrite history books for the state’s schoolchildren, producing some expert recommendations that are sure to inflame Texans, no matter their political leanings.

The State Board of Education expects to start discussing new social studies curriculum standards this week, with members of the public getting their first opportunity to speak this fall and a final board vote next spring.

The process is a long one with lasting impact: reshaping the social studies curriculum, including history, for 4.7 million Texas public school children. “This is something that every parent would want to be paying attention to… ”

Curriculum standards are updated about every 10 years; the last social studies update came in 1997. According to a preliminary draft of the new proposed standards, biographies of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Stephen F. Austin have been removed from the early grades, said Brooke Terry of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

The early draft, which is likely to change multiple times in the coming months, also removes Independence Day, Veterans’ Day, and anthems and mottos for bothTexas and the United States in a section on holidays, customs and celebrations, she said. “You have the ability to shape the next generation on the beliefs about the government and the role of personal responsibility but also understanding our history and the principles that we want to pass down to our children,” Terry said. “With many of the suggested changes, I think we would be backtracking on many of the important things that people fight for in defense of our country.”

The State Board of Education has appointed six experts to review existing social studies standards, which will influence the new curriculum. Two of them have recommended that migrant farm labor union leader Cesar Chavez, who died in 1993, be removed as an example of a significant model for “active participation in the democratic process.”

“Chavez is hardly the kind of role model that ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation,” said Peter Marshall, head of Marshall Ministries.  Another expert reviewer, David Barton, said: “Cesar Chavez may be a choice representing diversity, but he certainly lacks the stature, impact and overall contributions of so many others; and his open affiliation with Saul Alinsky’s movements certainly makes dubious that he is praiseworthy … .”

Alinskyinfluenced the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation, a number of church-based groups that help give low-income Texans a voice and a role in democracy. Those groups include The Metropolitan Organization in Houston. “Cesar Chavez was one of those great historical figures that struggled for better wages and working conditions of America’s farm workers so that they and their families could enjoy a better future,” said Irene Jimenez, a TMO executive board member.

Marshall, one of the expert reviewers, also recommends that school children get a better understanding of the motivational role the Bible and the Christian faith played in the settling of the original colonies. He provided multiple examples of early Americans parlaying their biblical views into the communities and governments they established — beginning with the Pilgrims who risked their lives in coming to America.

One of the reviewers also suggested that the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall be removed from history books on grounds that he is not an appropriate example as a historical figure of influence. Thurgood Marshall was the NAACP lawyer who won the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme court school segregation case that led to the integration of public schools.

Some of the specfics of the changes from the Wall Street Journal–

In first grade, students are expected to study the contributions of Americans who have influenced the course of history. Rev. Peter Marshall, a reviewer, calls Thurgood Marshall — who as a lawyer argued Brown v. Board of Education and later became the first black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court — a weak example.

• Delete Anne Hutchinson from a list of colonial leaders

Students learn about colonial history in the fifth grade, and three reviewers suggested that the standards not include Anne Hutchinson, a 17thcentury figure, among a list of significant leaders. Ms. Hutchinson was exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for teaching religious views at odds withthe officially sanctioned faith.

• Delete César Chávez from a list of figures who modeled active participation in the democratic process

Two reviewers objected to citing Mr. Chávez, who led a strike and boycott to improve working conditions for immigrant farmhands, as an example of citizenship for fifth-graders. “He’s hardly the kind of role model that ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation,” Rev. Marshall wrote.

• Emphasize study of original documents

The three reviewers appointed by social conservatives on the board all say students should study more original documents, rather than relying on a textbook author to interpret them. The current standards rely too much on supplementary material such as poetry, folktales and art, they say, and too little on original documents and historical narratives.

• Include more study of religious revival movements

Evangelist Billy Graham should be included on a list of transformational leaders of the 20thcentury and students in fifth and eight grades should study the colonial-era religious revival known as the Great Awakening as a force “in shaping a national identity,” suggests reviewer Daniel Dreisbach, a professor of public affairs at American University.

• Replace references to America’s “democratic” values with “republican” values

Reviewer David Barton suggests swapping out “republican” for “democratic” in teaching materials. As he explains: “We don’t pledge allegiance to the flag and the democracy for which it stands.”

Curriculum changes recommended by reviewers appointed by moderate and liberal members of the Texas State Board of Education:

• Tone down emphasis on the Cold War

Reviewer Lybeth Hodges, a history professor at Texas Woman’s University, suggests revising the standards that set current events in the Cold War framework of democracy versus communism. She calls for adding study of Arab nations and Islam.

• Add more Latino historical figures

Reviewer Jesús F. de la Teja, a former state historian, calls for adding names such as Juan de Oñate, who led the Spanish expedition that settled New Mexico and José Antonio Navarro, a proponent of Texas independence. He also recommends a deeper study of Texas history.

• Reword references to minorities’ “contributions” to society

Mr. de la Tejaarguesthatit marginalizes women and people of color to talk about their “contributions to society,” as though they are standing outside and only offering a few crumbs of value. He prefers standards to use the phrase “role in society,” which he says emphasizes that minorities have a significant place in culture and history.

Below are some headlines from today’s Houston Chronicle.

Woman shot outside Galleria-area Starbucks.

Houston police kill naked gunman.

Chambers (county) deputy killed, suspected gunman found dead.

The Chambers County deputy, 31 year old Shane Detwiler, was killed by an occupant of a mobile home in a dispute over shutting off the water to the mobile home.

I’ve written in the past that people’s rights to own guns will not be impacted by the fact that Barack Obama is President and that Congress is controlled by Democrats.

The gun lobby has the political power to fight off most challenges to restrictions on gun ownership that might save lives. 

Where I’ve been remiss is in not more clearly stating my views that I see the gun lobby and the most hardcore supporters of so-called gun rights as little more than accessories to murder. 

People go around shooting each other down like dogs, and the gun nuts go on and on about threats to gun ownership that don’t exist.    

I don’t have anything fully useful to say about that to do about this fact. I suppose that being obsessed with guns stops these crazies from doing more harm with their views about other questions in society.

I don’t care about the legal definition of accessory to murder. This is a blog and not a courtroom. Nobody is on trial. I just want to be clear that if you’re one of these gun nuts that I see you as no more than a common criminal and street thug.

Confirmation hearings have begun for Sonia Sotomayor.

Texas Liberal, your blog of record, has the transcripts for these hearings.

Here they are…”Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.”

Want to know what they’ll say tomorrow?

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

What are the chances Judge Sotomayor will not be confirmed? What are the chances that the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, is not a states rights bigot just updated for the modern day? 

Abortion. Strict construction. Empathy— They will talk and talk and talk. It’s the same thing you’ve seen many times before. And like a wrestling match on TV, the outcome is already determined.

These hearings will take the time of your life, and not even offer a good show in return like we got with the Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas hearings.

I just don’t get how anybody could sit and watch these hearings.   

Above is a picture of many Muppets. Think of how much better the Sotomayor hearings would be with Muppets. The Muppets could testify or they could replace the senators on the committee.  I mean this for real. The hearings would be great with Muppets. It would be best if the Muppets had their own material. But even if the Muppets said the exact things that would be said in the real hearing–That would still be great. I’d watch that.

Here is a good history of The Muppet Show from the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

None of this is to say that the Supreme Court does not matter. It does. Below are a number of Supreme Court reference links.

Here’s the Supreme Court web home.

Here’s a review of A People’s History of the Supreme Court by Peter Irons.

Here’s a review of The U.S. Supreme Court–The Pursuit of Justice edited by Christopher Tomlins.

Here’s a link to learn about some important cases in Supreme Court history.

Here’s a list of all 110 Supreme Court Justices to date.

It’s up to you to learn the things you need to know.

I recently watched a 35 year old episode of All In The Family. I’m up on pop culture as long as I have  35 years to catch up.

In the episode I saw, Archie Bunker unknowingly passed a counterfeit $20 bill to George Jefferson. Archie was picking up dry cleaning from George at Jefferson Cleaners

(Above you can watch the first segment of the show. Here is the link to next segment.  And here is the link to the final segment.)

When he saw that the $20 was no good,  George stormed over to Archie’s house, next door to his, and demanded $20 in real currency.

George told Archie that if he did not give him the money that Archie would ”be on the list of the ten most sorry honkies.” 

Well—you can just imagine the trouble from that point on.

Life is more complicated than in 1974. In terms of race, America is, in some respects at least, better than it was in 1974.  

While there is little to be said for what race relations were in the era of fights over busing and not long after years of urban rioting, the black and white world of Archie Bunker and George Jefferson did make for better television than much of what is on today. 

As someone who grew up watching All In The Family, I sometimes have to remind myself that race relations are  more nuanced today than in the past.  I’ve never quite gotten the sounds Archie and George yelling at each other out of my mind.

One thing I’m reasonbly certain of–A black President named Barack Obama serving at the same time that much of black America still lives in borderline genocidal conditions of urban (and rural) poverty and despair, would not have been a future people would have imagined 35 years ago.  

Below is the weekly roundup of the Texas Progressive Alliance. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas.

Above is a picture of a town called Texas in the Queensland State in Australia. Looks a lot like a Texas town you might see in Texas, U.S.A.

Here is some information about this town. It has a population of around 700.

Here is the link to the town school in Texas, Queensland, Australia. 

The round up–

Neil at Texas Liberal says that while people went on about Michael Jackson, the U.S. Supreme Court was making it more difficult for black folks to get promoted at work.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks Manuel Banales should recuse himself from all things Mauricio Celis.

Off the Kuff takes a look at what happened during the blink-and-you-missed-it special session.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson has more on the impending statewide campaign of former Travis County as the draftronnie.com site goes live: Ronnie Earle is causing a stir.

Mr. The Plumber took some time out recently to talk about much the Founding Fathers hated those Godless Communists. McBlogger, obviously, thinks he’s kind of a dummy.

Over at Texas Kaos, Libby Shaw catches Cornyn in yet another big bad whopper: John Cornyn Out to Kill Health Care Reform: Misleads Houston Doctors.

WhosPlayin wondered what could be the real reason for Sarah Palin quitting her post, and decided to post a little poll.

Packaged lunch meat king Oscar Meyer has died at the age of 95.

Above you see a picture of Mr. Meyer’s funeral.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has asked the Wienermobile be retired and that the Oscar Mayer company consider a line of vegetarian products.  

(The name of the company is Oscar Mayer. Meyer is the correct spelling for the man who is a subject of this post.)

Here is the web home of PETA.   Please click here to see what the folks at PETA think of the McDonald’s Happy Meal.

Mr. Meyer’s death was noted at Meat International.com. It is also the 30th anniversary of Certified Angus Beef.

As far as I know, Houston Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee was not at the service for Mr. Meyer.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee has established a reputation for attending funerals and for speaking at these funerals.   

Ms. Jackson Lee spoke at the memorial service for Michael Jackson. Below you see a picture of her at the service.

The dolphin you see above is named “Liberty.”

It should be named “Prisoner” because it is in dolphin jail.

This dolphin prisoner lives at the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Park in Vallejo, California.

The dolphin is called Liberty because it was born on the Fourth of July.

Liberty, as seen in an Associated Press picture, was forced to do tricks on the Fourth of July for people visiting the park.    

Even though it lives its life in a tank, the dolphin is called Liberty as if it were free and swimming around in the ocean.

These shows would bug me less if I had any sense that they made people care about the creatures they see, or care about the health of the oceans.

I think people come and gawk at the dolphins and the Shamus and move on to some other thought as soon as they leave the park.

I know these shows are not going away, but if take your kids, or go on your own, please take some time to learn about what you are seeing.

Here are a number of questions about oceans answered by the National Ocean Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  There is a lot of information to be found at this site.

Here is a Christian Science Monitor blog post about overfishing and that has a number of links to other sources on the topic. The fish you are eating may be on the verge of going away for good.

Here is the EPA web home with programs meant to protect the nation’s salt water resources.

The Empty Ocean by Richard Ellis is a very good book about overfishing that I have read.

Below is a picture of a Bottlenose Dolphin in the ocean I’m going to name “Captive.” 

Here are facts about Bottlenose Dolphins.

Here are many facts about different types of whales and dolphins from NOAA.

The National Audubon Society Guide To Marine Mammals Of The World is a top rate book.

My friend and fellow blogger Rachel Farris of Austin sent me a Facebook invitation today to an upcoming event in Austin.

Rachel writes the blog Mean Rachel.

The event is the Texas Young Democrats Women’s Caucus Happy Hour that is taking place at the Molotov Lounge in Austin July 15 at 6:30 PM.  The Molotov Lounge is located at 719 W. 6th street in Austin. A purpose of the gathering will be to show support for Judge Sotomayor as she seeks Senate approval to serve on the Supreme Court.       

(Above–Vyacheslav Molotov)

I’m not likely to make it to Austin for this event. I don’t think I’d go even if I lived in Austin. I’m sure I’m one of about 300 people Ms. Farris sent notice to about the function as she went down her list of Facebook friends.

Still, I’ve got this forum here and if I can give something Ms. Farris finds of value a plug —Why not? No doubt that would be better than the crap I would write otherwise.

As a further example of this sentiment—I’m very glad to have become an online member of Democratic Women of Denton County.

(Above is my profile picture for Democratic Women of Denton County. If you notice anything different about me it is that I just got my hair done.)  

My friend Judith Ford, who writes the blog Castle Hill Democrats, is a co-founder of the group. If this group has value to Judith, it has value to me.

I see that I can cough up $20 in dues and become a paying member of Democratic Women of Denton County. Maybe I should do this soon.

A few weeks ago I ran an essay here on the blog from my friend Ted McLaughlin of Amarillo about why he supports Kinky Friedman in the 2010 Democratic primary for Governor of Texas. Here is that post.

Ted writes the blog Jobsanger.

I don’t agree with Ted about Kinky. Yet at the same time, Ted is a good guy who writes a strong blog and who is a committed liberal. If I can do something that helps Ted a bit then that is what I’ll do. I know he would do the same for me.

And, of course, we should not forget that Wednesday, July 8 was the birthday of the distinguished Houston political blogger Perry Dorell.

Happy birthday Perry.

Perry writes the blog Brains & Eggs.

Life is brief and brutal. Let’s help our friends and help the people with who we share deeply-held beliefs.   

I’m happy to promote just about any Democratic or progessive/liberal event here in Texas. (or elsewhere.) Please e-mail me at naa618 at att dot net and give me the details—Or leave a comment on this post.

I’m happy to plug to all sorts of things. If you have a band– or some type of creative endeavor in life– or whatever– please  e-mail me and provide the details. This shop runs a bit over 1500 page views a day and you never know who will see a blog post.

We all have things we want to accomplish and be known for in life.  

Here is the link to the Martin Luther King sermon Unfulfilled Dreams.

Texas Liberal has the best Martin Luther King Reading and Reference List on the web.

Please don’t forget that on August 15 I’ll be hosting the most immense punk rock blast of 2009 at Newport, Kentucky’s Southgate House. Newport is just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati.

Thanks to my friends and thanks to all who read this blog. 

(Below–A Plug)

Cincinnati’s Aurore Press will be holding a spoken word event on July 25 to mark the release of the new book godLess. Above you see the cover of godLess.

The event will be held Cincinnati’s famous The Comet located at 4579 Hamilton Ave. The spoken word begins at 7 PM and will be followed by a musical performance by Jughead and Pedro from Cincinnati’s own SS-20. 

Here is the link for The Comet.

Below is a description of godLess. You’ll note that this blogger is a contributing writer. (I’ve highlighted my name and put it in a bold font so that you won’t miss it.)  

Our latest project is a chapbook we call godLESS, a critical view of religion. Tough subject, especially in this town, but it has to be said.21 varied works in all. Plus a preface by Matt Hart and fantastic cover art by Amy Kreitzer! 

The book, edited by Chuck Byrd, Mary Anne Cowgill and Betsy Young will feature pieces by John Welte, Sr., Neil Aquino, Jacurutu:3, Jana Vaught, Marilyn Phelps, Abiyah, Vivien Vinyl, Chuck Byrd, Justin Patrick Moore, Nathan Singer, Megan Shepherd, Mary Anne Cowgill, Kim Maurer, Mark Messerly, Betsy Young, Kathy Holwadel, Robert W. Sturdevant, Daniel Jones, Susie Martin, J.J. Staples, Jughead…And true to our usual style, we’ll be donating a portion of the proceeds to the Free Inquiry Group of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

Aurore Press is Cincinnati’s forum for dissenting views. Please click here to see all that they have going on.

Please don’t forget that I’ll be the host of the most immense punk rock blast in all the nation on August 15 at Newport Kentucky’s Southgate House. This event is also being put on by Aurore Press.

President Barack Obama is in Russia meeting with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and other Russian politicians. 

(Above–Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin with Bill Clinton in 1995. They are saying it is time for vodka and broads.)  

Here is an article from Newsweek offering ideas on what Mr. Obama should think about and know as he visits Russia.

Here is a profile of President Mededev from the BBC.

Here is information about Vladimir Putin from Time Magazine’s Profile of him as 2007 Person of the Year.

Here is the web home–in English–of the President of Russia. 

Here are recent articles about Russia and an overview of the current situation in Russia from The Economist. 

The facts about this visit and about Russia are out there for all to learn. Your daily newspaper tomorrow will likely have an article about today’s summit  you can read as you eat your Fruit Loops.

I miss Boris Yeltsin. For reading my blog, I would like to give you a big bear hug like Boris Yeltsin might after six vodkas. 

Boris Yeltsin, for better and worse, was a serious figure despite his behavior at times.

Here is Mr. Yeltsin’s obituary from The New York Times. 

Here is an unflattering obit of Mr. Yeltsin from Rolling Stone. 

(Below–Boris Yelstin dancing.)

Black vegetarians are out there and they have formed groups.

I don’t know about you, but when I think of a vegetarian I think of a white person. Maybe somebody living in Vermont or Oregon. 

(Above–Many fruits and vegetables.)

Nobody down here in Texas is a vegetarian. I don’t think we have any here at all.

I might also think of my sister-in-law when I think of vegetarians. The sister-in-law is a Jewish chick in Illinois. 

It does not surprise me there are black vegetarians once I ponder the question.  Black folks like vegetables and fruits just as much as other folks. I’ve seen black people eat vegetables and fruit. I went to a 95% black high school and those kids were eating that stuff all the time.   

As a matter of fact, I’ve had black kids throw fruit at me in the school cafeteria. You can bet I picked that apple or orange back up and hurled it right back at whoever threw it at me.

I guess the black kids not so committed to vegetarianism would be the ones pitching fruit. If you were really committed to fruits and vegetables, you would eat your apple and not throw it at the strange white kid sitting by himself reading the newspaper. 

I guess I simply did not realize there were enough black vegetarians to form organizations.

(Below–A vegetarian meal from Korea.)

Here is what is says in the blog 21st Century Vegetarians—

“Y’all don’t eat no chicken? Then what do you eat?” If I had a dollar for everytime I’ve been asked that over the past 22 years (which is the last time I ate chicken, fish, meat, or eggs) I’d be a millionaire! But, that’s my people! What can I say? Actually, I can’t blame them. In all seriousness, what image pops into your head when you think of the word “vegetarian?” Probably someone pale and emaciated, with long stringy hair wearing something we haven’t seen since the 60’s. I’m sure that Black, healthy, strong, hip and athletic aren’t exactly the images that come to mind. “Black Vegetarian” is, for most people, an oxymoron. It’s sort of falls in the same category as “Affordable Health Care”, or “Job Security.”

Pale?—Now is that a way of saying “white?”

Stereotypes are for everybody!   

If I thought becoming a vegetarian would make me “Black, healthy, strong, hip and athletic”—I’d get on that right away.

(Below—Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and his wife Elizabeth are two pale vegetarians.)

Wikipedia has a list of people it says are vegetarians. For example—Successful businessman Russell Simmons (below) from Run-DMC is a vegetarian. Mr. Simmons has been such since 1998.

Here is what is said about Mr. Simmons being a vegetarian in a 2003 Mother Jones article—

“I don’t eat anything that runs away from me,” says Russell Simmons, by way of explaining his vegan diet. It’s an unexpected lifestyle choice for the world’s most famous hip-hop impresario, but Simmons seems to delight in subverting expectation…” (Full article here.)

Mother Jones is a liberal magazine. They say that Mr. Simmons has made an “unexpected lifestyle choice” in being a vegetarian. That’s just a more restrained way of stating what I’m saying here—”Black hip-hop vegetarians? Really?”   

Stereotypes are for everyone!

The Wikipedia list also asserts that the former running back  Herschel Walker (below) is a vegetarian. Oh boy–You’ve got to eat a lot of carrots to be strong enough to break all those tackles.

Please click here for the link to Blackvegetarians.org

A co-founder of this group, Trayce McQuiter, has a blog called By Any Greens Necessary.

There is a book called Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry.

Here is some of what Mr. Terry says about his book—What you can look for in Vegan Soul Kitchen is some bright, bold, and sexy soul food, as I say on the back of the book. 

Bright, bold and sexy. Sounds exciting.

Higher up in this post I said that I did not think any vegetarians lived in Texas. Not only may I have been mistaken, there are even enough black vegetarians down here to have a Black Vegetarian Society of Texas.

Here is a list of some other black vegetarian groups.

For my sister-in-law, here is the link to Jewish Vegetarians of North America.

Here is a list of a variety of vegetarian groups and links.

Here is a story about young people deciding to become vegetarians.

Here are a number of dietary guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These guidelines include the option of eating meat.

People have to figure what suits them best. Many people in America and around the world are vegetarians.

It’s up to you.

(Below—Prince is a vegetarian.) 

l

When my wife and I go out to dinner, we often bring something to read.

We bring newspapers and magazines.

Sometimes we bring these things to read and end up talking to each other more than reading.

Other times we discuss what we are reading.

Or, there are times when we go long stretches reading and don’t say anything to each other. 

I’m thinking about this because the wife and I went out to dinner twice over the July 4 weekend.

In our two dinners out we had a mix of reading, talking about what we were reading, and talking about stuff other than what we were reading.

I think this is pretty good in a marriage. We are content to let each other alone or to talk.

It is good to talk to people and it is good to read and have some peace.

It is very good for two people to be happy with each either when talking or when quiet.

Here is a picture of the wife on our wedding day in 2000.

Here is a list of five personality traits people would do well to have.

Please have a nice and safe Fourth of July. 

(Above–Independence Hall in Philadelphia.)

Here is information about visiting Independence Hall.

Below is the weekly Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The Texas Progressive Alliance is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas.

Above is a map of where Spanish Missions were located in Texas between 1659 and 1795.  Here is information and history about Spanish Missions in Texas from the very good Handbook of Texas Online.  

From the Handbook—”The Spanish mission was a frontier institution that sought to incorporate indigenous people into the Spanish colonial empire, its Catholic religion, and certain aspects of its Hispanic culture through the formal establishment or recognition of sedentary Indian communities entrusted to the tutelage of missionaries under the protection and control of the Spanish state.”

The round-up–

Off the Kuff takes a look at the latest Lyceum poll on the Governor and Senate races in Texas.

Neil at Texas Liberal suggests that instead of blowing of your fingers lighting fireworks–during a drought in Harris County no less—that maybe you would be better off reading a book instead.

With 2010 spinning up, it’s funny to watch all the different players already on the field line up to take their first hits. McBlogger, of course, thinks they’re all deeply in need of a little advice which he graciously provides (with surprisingly sparse use of profanity)!

WCNews & Dembones at Eye On Williamson post on the latest controversy involving the Williamson County Commissioners Court, Budget officer not just a good idea, it’s the law.

John at Bay Area Houston says Turn out the lights, the family values party is over.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chismethinks online Texas Republican commentary on Mark Sanford is interesting.

The similarities between Mark Sanford and Ray Bolger (as the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz”)are just too weird, notes PDidde at Brains and Eggs.

The wise men are willing to pay a tax on their favorite junk food to pay for health care reform.

WhosPlayin.com Video bring you EXTREME Congressional Town Hall – Special “Losing our freedoms” edition, sponsored by Prozac.

Over at TexasKaos, Libby Shaw calls our attention to Confessions of a Former Health Insurance Exec: “We Dump the Sick”. Who knew? All the posturing , hypocritical , offers of self-reform and insurance relief are just so much bogus cover up for an industry too greedy to ever be trusted to regulate themselves!

The Texas Cloverleaf discusses gay pride, bar raids, and millions of gays marching in DFW this past weekend during the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

Burnt Orange Report covers TX-10 Congressional candidate Jack McDonald’s campaign expansion in the Austin area.

Texas Vox reports on Texas’ record setting energy consumptionand the need for renewable peak energy over boring old baseload from coal, gas, and nuclear.