Monday Morning Musings

My day started late this morning. Woke up to some pretty good thunderstorms and had to unplug my computer until the sound and fury subsided. Not that I minded all that much. Here in Texas we are desperate for rain, but unfortunately, this morning's storm had less precipitation and lots more lightening and thunder. If we got even a quarter of an inch, that is a generous estimate.

As a result of the prolonged drought, almost the entire state is under a burn ban in an attempt to forestall any more wildfires. The Possum Kingdom Complex in North Texas and the Trans-Pecos Complex in West Texas are among several wildfires burning throughout the state. Since Jan. 1, wildfires have scorched more than 1.4 million acres and led to the deaths of two firefighters. So if it starts to storm again and I have to turn off my computer, I will do so gladly.

On another note, I read in yesterday's Dallas Morning News that the managers of the Texas teachers' retirement fund received over $8.2 million in bonuses this year. According to the story this is more than double what top employees in every other state agency combined have received since 2007. And while the managers have raked in large bonuses, thousands of retired teachers have not had a pension increase in ten years.

The rational for giving the huge payouts is that the bonuses attract the top talent in the investment business. That is the same rational given for the bonuses the top executives at Border's Books are receiving, while hundreds of stores close and thousands of employees are laid off.

One would think that a company that is in bankruptcy would be restricted by law from allowing some executives to plunder the business that way, but there is no such law.

Why does it always have to be this way? We decry those who loot during riots, so why don't we decry those who loot and plunder at the highest levels? All those bankers and mortgage experts who got us into the financial mess of 2008 are still in their expansive offices, raking in the dough.

Friday's Odds and Ends

New iPhone app for Roman Catholics - confession via the telephone. A Vatican spokesman responds, "One cannot speak in any way of confession by iPhone."

Was that PR speak for "Are you nuts?"

Senator Harry Reid criticized House Republican's proposed spending cuts by saying, "After all, you can lose a lot of weight by cutting off your arms and legs, but no doctor would recommend it."

Good  point Senator Reid, so how about proposing that we rein in the cost of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security by cutting the cost of administering those programs. Streamlining the paperwork alone would save millions.

In response to the growing U.S. debt to China, Michelle Bachmann, representative from MN said, "With all the money that we owe China, I think you might correctly say, 'Hu's your daddy.'"

This is sad and scary. As we make short-term fixes to our spending problems, does nobody consider the long-term effects?

Yesterday there was a Red Flag Alert in Texas. Even though we've had lots of snow in some places recently, the state is still in drought conditions and the danger of wildfires is constant. We're accustomed to a weather alert for caution about outdoor burning and the like, but the alert yesterday included a warning about possible "erratic fire behavior." 

As opposed to consistent fire behavior?

Other than one in a fireplace, I don't think there is anything consistent about a fire. I think even the reporter found that choice of words comical. There was a hint of amusement in his voice when he made the announcement.

At a recent track meet in northern Manhattan, Ida Keeling set a world record, running 60 meters in 29.86 seconds. The 95-year old woman from the Bronx has been setting track records since she took up running at age 67. Read her amazing story HERE

Hooray for Ida.


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Today, there is an interview with me on the Web site for my new publisher, Books We Love Publishing Partners. 

Tomorrow from 10 - 2,  I will be at a "Meet the Author" event in in Madisonville, Texas. This event is sponsored by the Madison County Writers Guild, and it will be held at the Kimbro Center – on the Square - in downtown Madisonville. I have never been there, but I hear the Square is a nice place to visit. I will have copies of my new book, Open Season, as well as some copies of One Small Victory in hardback. If you are in the area, stop by and meet all the authors who will be there.