TexProdigy

Tsunami’s Victims

The television in our break room is set to Fox News. At lunch, Fox News showed touching, gripping stories of the tsunami that hit southwest Asia, Sri Lanka, and India. However, all the people Fox News interviews and profiled were white. I’m sure that white people (Swedish, German, Australians, and others) were actually a very small minority of people who were affected by the tsunami.

In my relatively short life on this earth, I have come to the realization that dark faces do not sell well on American television. If the faces are not white, it does not get reported as vigourously as they should. How many “pretty white (or white-looking) women” have been highlighted on the US news? Laci Peterson, Lori Hacking, and countless others have dominated the headlines.

Not only does the “so-called liberal” media (SCLM) focus on the real victims of the tsunami; they distort what UN officials say.

When U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland said,

"It is beyond me why are we so stingy, really. Christmastime should remind many Western countries at least, [of] how rich we have become."

Hmm… Jan Egeland said, “Western countries.” He did not single out the United States. However, the Wall Street Journal distorted what Jan Egeland said. The WSJ wrote,

“…suggested that the United States and other Western nations were being "stingy" with relief funds, saying there would be more available if taxes were raised.

Now Fox News reports that distortion started by the Wall Street Journal. Since Fox News is deemed “fair and accurate,” they repeat the distortion and others like CNN, ABC News, and CBS News repeat it then it becomes “fact.”

I do not think the SCLM will ever change. Showing touching profiles of white mothers who have to make choices over which child lives or dies is much more touching than showing a mother from Aceh who lost her entire family.

Happy Holidays

I think the "controversy" over "Happy Holidays" versus "Merry Christmas" is nothing more than a tempest in a teapot.

I say "Happy Holidays" for a whole variety of reasons. First, I am Buddhist. I could wish everyone a "Merry Buddha-mas" (the Buddha was said to have been born on December 8th), but people would look at me funny - especially in Texas. Second, I cannot tell by looking at someone that they are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wicca, or whatever. Rather than saying, "Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Eid, Happy Buddha's Birthday, and happy Winter Solstice," I just say "Happy Holidays. Besides, to paraphrase atrios, why say, "Merry Christmas!" the day after Thanksgiving? Last time I checked, Christmas was on the 25th of December.

And about that day, 25 December... The History Channel has some very good information about Christmas. The 21st was (and is still) celebrated as Winter Solstice. Many ancient cultures (Norse, Druids, etc.)marked Winter Solstice as the point when the days would get longer and warmer. The ancient Romans celebrated a festival called Saturnalia. I began the week leading up to the Winter Solstice and lasted for one month. The ancient Romans also celebrated the birth of Mithra (no, not Mothra, the giant Godzilla-fighting moth), the god of the unconquerable sun, on (drum roll please) December 25th.

In early Christianity, the most important celebration was Easter, not Christmas. It was not until the fourth century that the Catholic Church (the only Christian one around at the time) decided to celebrate Jesus' birth, too.

Unfortunately for the Catholic Church leaders at the time, the Bible does not give a day for Jesus' birth. If you read the Bible, you might come to the conclusion that Jesus would have been born in the spring, not winter.

why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?

Pope Julius I chose December 25. This is probable to counteract the Roman celebrations of Saturnalia and the birth of Mithra.

How many Americans put Christmas trees up in their homes? That is an ancient pagan German tradition. The ancient Germans revered evergreens because they could remain green, even in the coldest of winters. Everything else around them turned brown and died. German immigrants brought the idea of decorating Christmas trees to the US.

In the S, the early puritans did not celebrate Christmas. When the First Congress was in session, then worked on December 25th. It was not until 1870 when Ulysses S. Grant signed the Christmas holiday into law.

That is why this whole "controversy" is nothing more than a tempest in a teapot. The hypochrisitans always say, "Remember the reason for the season!" yet they act in decidedly un-Christian ways. What would Jesus do?

Texas Myths

A while back, BoifromTroi had a list of things about Texas. In my line of work, computer security, I was able (with the help of Google) to determine if the nasty virus message from the secretary down the hall was a hoax or not. Many of the items in the post from boifromtroy just did not ring true to me. Since I live in Texas, I just had to find what was real and what was not.

Here is my debunking of his post:


Texas is as solidly Red as California is Blue,

Texas is only solidly red and California is only solidly blue if you look at it in a “winner takes all” way. If you look at the map Texas and California both would be purple. Neither state is solidly red or solidly blue. No state actually is.

but Texians won't have to fret about whether to move to Paris or Toronto if their man loses come Tuesday. I just got a letter from "The People of Texas" which outlines their plans:

You got a letter from “The People of Texas.” Really? I live in Texas and I don’t remember ever reading something like that.

Subject: Texas and the Presidential election.
Please note that Texas is the only state with a legal right to secede from the Union. (Reference the Texas-American Annexation Treaty of 1848.)

This reference is wrong. Texas was accepted into statehood on December 29, 1845. That reference is wrong. A “The Treaty of Annexation April 12, 1844” does exist (Ref: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/texan05.htm), but it does not mention anything about Texas seceding from the United States.

We Texans love y'all, but we'll have to take action if Kerry wins over Bush. We'll miss you too. Texas has given all those complainers plenty of time to get used to the results of the last election. After seeing the whiners along the campaign route, the folks from Texas are considering taking matters into their own hands.

The folks from Texas are? That’s funny. I haven’t read about any plans like that in any of the news papers available at Borders or Barnes and Noble. I haven’t heard about it on the TV or on the radio. Must be because they are all liberal and wouldn’t report that kind of stuff anyway.

Here is what will happen:

#1: If John Kerry becomes President of the United States, Texas will immediately secede from the Union.

This is not going to happen. The last time states seceded from the United States, a Civil War was fought; the South lost and, for better or for worse, the United States remained united. And since there is no such thing as the “Texas-American Annexation Treaty of 1848” that’s a load of hooey anyway.

#2: George W. Bush will become the President of the Republic of Texas.

Since #1 is not going to happen, this won’t happen either. Why would George W. Bush be the President? Why not Tom Delay, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, or John Cornyn?

So what does Texas have to do to survive as a Republic?

1. NASA is just south of Houston, Texas. We will control the space industry.

NASA, last time I checked was a Federal institution. That means it is controlled by the NASA administration in Washington DC. NASA has several other locations in the US – Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, California, etc. I am sure that if Kerry had won and in the remote possibility Texas did secede from the United States, all the equipment at the Johnson Space Center would be hauled off to some other location.

2. We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States.

Source: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/usa.html (Department of Energy)

Hmmm… Texas refines 4,467,610 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).

California refines 1,984,188 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004)
Louisiana refines 2,753,320 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004)
New Jersey refines 645,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Mississippi refines 364,800 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Alabama refines 130,200 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Georgia refines 5,400 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Virginia refines 58,600 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Delaware refines 175,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Illinois refines 878,100 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Michigan refines 74,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Washington refines 602,850 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Arkansas refines 69,800 Barrels per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Minnesota refines 335,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Montana refines 181,200 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
North Dakota refines 58,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Utah refines 161,950 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Colorado refines 87,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Indiana refines 433,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Kentucky refines 227,500 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2003).
Tennessee refines 180,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Ohio refines 534,305 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
West Virginia refines 19,400 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
Pennsylvania refines 760,000 Barrels Per Calendar Day (BCD) (2004).
(I think I got all the states that refined oil. I may have missed one or two)

So we add all that up and we get 10,718,613 BCD (2004).

Let me see if my math is right… 4,467,610 (BCD) divided by 10, 718,613 BCD times 100 would give me 41.68% (and if we were generous and rounded, it would be 42%). I’m no whiz at math, but 42% does not equal 85%. In fact, that’s 43% lower. Someone was not doing his or her math properly, or they did not do their sampling properly. Now, with 42% of the petroleum refinement, Texas is still #1 in the US, but, even if Texas seceded, I think the rest of the US could get along.

3. Defense Industry--we have over 65% of it. The term "Don't mess with Texas," will take on a whole new meaning.

Again, the defence companies would more than likely move to other locations, if they had to. Plus, the Federal government already has restrictions on purchasing foreign-made military products. Hypothetically, if Texas did secede, it would become a foreign country.

4. Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will need for the next 300 years. Yankee states? Sorry about that.

Accounts for 20 percent of U.S. crude oil production, true. However, the other states and the world could supply the other 80%.

5 Natural Gas - again we have all we need and it's too bad about those northern states. John Kerry will figure out a way to keep them warm...

The Northern States (everything but Texas) would be more than able to get natural gas from other sources.

6. Computer Industry - we currently lead the nation in producing computer chips and communications--small places like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD, Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Semiconductor, Dallas Semiconductor, Delphi, Nortel, Alcatel, etc, etc. The list goes on and on.

Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, MA.
National Semiconductor is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA.
Motorola is headquartered in Schaumburg, IL.
Intel is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA.
AMD is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA
Atmel is headquartered in San Jose, CA
Applied Materials is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA
Delphi is headquartered in Troy, MI.
Nortel is headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Alcatel is headquartered in Paris, France.

Wow, quite a few of those places are in “blue” states. One of them is in Canada, and another is in France! Sacre Bleu!

7. Medical Care - We have the largest research centers for cancer research, the best burn centers and the top trauma units in the world, as well as other large health centers. Dallas has some of the best hospitals in the United States.

The other states also have cancer research, burn cerntres, and trauma units. And without Federal funding, much of that research in Texas might come to a screeching halt.

8. We have enough colleges to keep us going: University of Texas, Texas A&M (sic), Texas Tech, Rice, SMU, University of Houston, Baylor, UNT (University of North Texas), Texas Women's University, etc. Ivy grows better in the South anyway

The rest of the country has colleges and universities, too. Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, OU, USC, University of Nebraska, Florida State, University of Michigan, Duke, and all the other public and private colleges and universities in all the other states.

9. We have a ready supply of workers. We could just open the border when we need some more.

So you’d let immigrants flood into Texas? From Mexico? That already happens. What happens when the Mexicans outnumber the Texians (old reference to what Texans used to be called)? I know in my city I am part of the minority.

10. We have essential control of the paper industry, plastics, insurance, etc.

Texas does? That’s news to me. Let’s look at insurance:

State Farm is headquartered in Bloomberg, IL.
GEICO is headquartered in Washington DC.
Allstate is headquartered in Northbrook, IL.
The Hartford Financial Services Group is located in Hartford, CT.
Farmer’s Insurance Group is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.


How about paper:

Georgia Pacific is headquartered in Atlanta, GA.
Kimberly Clark is headquartered in Neenah, WI.

11. In case of a foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. We don't have an Army, but since everybody down here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an Army in 24 hours if we need one. If the situation really gets bad, we can always call the Department of Public Safety and ask them to send over Chuck Norris and a couple of Texas Rangers.

First of all, if Kerry was elected, he could federalise the National Guard. Second, I live in Texas and I don’t own a single gun. Many of my friends and relatives who live in Texas don’t either. Therefore, not everybody owns “at least six rifles and a pile of ammo.” Second, Texas has several Army, Air Force, and Navy installations. Last time I checked, these were controlled by the Federal government. If needed, the hypothetical President Kerry could give them orders to surround and secure Austin. Since Austin’s pretty much a liberal oasis, not much would need to be done.

12. We are totally self-sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs, and several types of grain, fruit and vegetables, and let's not forget seafood from the Gulf. Also, everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good. Don't need any food.

If an embargo happened, growing those fruits and grains to feed people and lives stock would be hard. Getting fishing ships out to fish when a naval blockade is happening would be tough, too.

This just names a few of the items that will keep the Republic of Texas in good shape. There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have.

Unfortunately it’s all a bunch of false crap. If you believe this, I have some bridges to sell you.

Now to the rest of the United States under President Kerry:

Since you won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, only President Kerry will be able to drive around in his big 9 mpg SUV. The rest of the United States will have to walk or ride bikes.

Refer to question #2. Even in the unlikely chance Texas did secede, the rest of the US would go on.

You won't have any TV as the Space Center in Houston will cut off satellite communications.

Houston does not control all satellite communications. SPACECOM, in Colorado, does control some too. I’m sure Hutsville and California could take over, if they needed to. Refer to question #1. The NASA operations are Federal, not state.

You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes, but since Mr. Kerry has predicted global warming, you will not need the gas.

Texas is not the only place that has natural gas. I’m sure the other states would get it from other locations.

Signed, The People of Texas


I'd bet there's a few people on either coast who wouldn't mind.

Basically, this is an urban myth. If I remember my history correctly, 11 states tried to secede in the 1860’s. Because they did not have the resources to fight the Civil War, they lost. Back then it was 11 states. If Texas tried to secede, it would be just one state versus the other 49. It is surrounded by New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The people of the state of Texas would have to vote to secede. Something tells me Texans, although they like being Texans, like being part of the US just as much. The People of Texas did not sign that “letter.” Someone with a fanciful imagination dreamed it up and put “Signed, The People of Texas” on it. To me it looks like they didn’t even bother to check out their “facts.” With minimal effort, I went to Google and found mine and included references.

Urban legends like this are, in my opinion, humourous. The one problem I have with them is that people don’t bother to look up the “facts” contained in them. They pass them along to their friends and relatives. Those friends and relatives consider them trustworthy because it came from someone they know. That is how the disinformation that’s in that "letter" gets spread.

It's Been a Long Time

Last time I blogged was around Election time, 4 November, to be exact. I have just been really, really incredibly busy with school, work, and life. Time was (and is) the one thing I do not have in excess now. In any case, I will blog as often as I can.

Now, on to the fun.

Jerry Fallwell, televangelist, said one of the dumbest things I read today.

We just experienced the greatest conservative victory in American history - we have never had a victory like Nov. 2 - and it's the most dangerous time for our movement ever.

Jerry, if Bush's win of 51% is the greatest conservative victory ever, it is because you must have set the bar really, really low.

Jerry Falwell wants to reconstitute the "Moral Majority." Which is extremely oxymoronic, because they are not really moral, nor are they a majority. Contrary to what people like him believe, the country is moving forward and becoming more progressive. Sure, progressives (liberals, or whatever you want to call them) faced a setback. However, over the course of time, we will move forward.

How long did it take for women to get the right to vote? How long did it take for African-Americans to win their freedom from slavery, and later, the right to vote? Sure, along the way, those groups had their setbacks. In the long run, though, with perseverance, they reached their goals.

The right for all Americans to have the same rights, regardless of sex, national origin, race, age, orientation, or whatever will take time. I have faith that people like Jerry Fallwell and the Moral Majority will be regarded as the bigots that they are.