Today is my father Ed's 83rd birthday. Born in 1935, he's lived through World War II (he always remembers the teacher writing 4-4-44 on the board), the Cold War, Sputnik, the Kennedy Assassination (another euphemism for murder), Vietnam, the Moon landing, Houston boom, 80s market crash, the Internet rise, 9/11, and now Donald Trump as President. He's seen a lot of change.
He spent 50 years working as a lawyer, law professor, dabbled in real estate, and is a prolific writer. I've got the stories written down to prove it. He's been married to my mother since 1961. Two great kids, as he likes to say :)
And he's led an interesting life. Among people he's met and known: George H.W. Bush, James Baker, Dr. Denton Cooley, Harvey Penick, Davis Love Jr and III, Ben Crenshaw, a number of WWII fighter pilot aces.
He came of age in 1950s America, a time when college sports didn't have scholarships like now, before interstate highways, before school integration, when there was an active military draft. He's got that sensibility, work hard and the reward should come. That's his background.
Ed's in good health now - he takes no medicines, stays active, regularly shoot his age or better at golf. Even if he complains it's from the senior tees. That's kind of a metaphor for him: play your ball and the course as you find it, and keep moving forward.
Happy Birthday Dad!
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Monday, February 19, 2018
Still Patty
I am working on finishing my next book, tentatively called Still Patty.
Patricia is an instructor at a community college in Austin and in a summer lull. Recently divorced from her second husband Dan, she decides to Google her first ex-husband Lee from 20 years ago and to go to find him in Alaska. Her best friend Kristi and ex-stepdaughter Jackie come along and together they try and help Patricia through this mid-life crisis, all while each dealing with their own life changes.
Expect it during the second quarter of this year.
Also by Gregory Turley: Hideway (2016) available on Amazon: Thomas Denison has recently graduated from college when he becomes a suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend Laura Meyerson. After being questioned by authorities, he turns to an influential family friend Harvey Garza a Congressional staffer who helps him hide out from investigators and Laura's influential family while they try to find out, "Where's Laura?"
Patricia is an instructor at a community college in Austin and in a summer lull. Recently divorced from her second husband Dan, she decides to Google her first ex-husband Lee from 20 years ago and to go to find him in Alaska. Her best friend Kristi and ex-stepdaughter Jackie come along and together they try and help Patricia through this mid-life crisis, all while each dealing with their own life changes.
Expect it during the second quarter of this year.
Also by Gregory Turley: Hideway (2016) available on Amazon: Thomas Denison has recently graduated from college when he becomes a suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend Laura Meyerson. After being questioned by authorities, he turns to an influential family friend Harvey Garza a Congressional staffer who helps him hide out from investigators and Laura's influential family while they try to find out, "Where's Laura?"
A dream in Amherst, VA
I was driving through Amherst, VA near Sweet Briar College (and former Sweet Briar Plantation). Susan was in the car with me. We got a flat tire and limped to a old style service station. Susan was very anxious for me to get the car back going, even thought I was not able to change the tire myself and had to convince someone at the service station to drop what he was doing to help us. It was a tense situation but we got the tire fixed.
Friday, February 16, 2018
Now we are engaged in a great civil war....
Some thoughts on the Parkland Florida "mass shooting" e.g. 17 children murdered in cold blood
"Mass shooting" is certainly a euphemism. It sounds almost accidental.
The high capacity semi automatic rifle is certainly blameworthy in this question. Having shot one ( and I can say I liked shooting it) it is easy to fire, little recoil, easy to point and shoot, and not that hard to learn to use. Probably why they are the weapon on choice for draftees and other boot recruits to teach them the operative training to shoot.
There are a lot of Federal gun laws that already exist. To some degree, they are pretty weak. They are obviously designed to be that way. For example, there is a maximum punishment for buying multiple guns for bad purposes. At some point, the more you buy just doesn't matter. They don't seem to reach this type of terror. It must be intentional.
At heart I think the Feds think this is a local problem and not a national problem. And Congress follows along. Even when they get shot up. That's a shame. Look at what happened in the 1986 Miami FBI shootout. The death of 2 FBI agents prompted a wholesale re-gunning of all of law enforcement. But the random violent deaths of ordinary people - nothing can prevent that, right?
And there is no question the fact that there is no liability for manufacturers and sellers is a reason that the supply just continues.
As long as the man on the street can get a hold of the same weapons as law enforcement or military, it it will be hard to keep this disorder from erupting.
None of this has to do with hunting, or self defense, or recreational target shooting, or things that normal people do.
These killings are getting too close to home. I can imagine I could have been at the Route 91 Harvest Festival listening to Jason Aldean on October 1, 2017. And I was nervous is my own church on Christmas Eve - fearing that some crazed person could come through our open door like in Charleston, SC or Sutherland Springs, TX. That's a bad feeling to have.
It seems a cop out to say new laws won't matter. I think that it is time to do something, even if it turns out to be mistaken. Inaction doesn't seem to be working.
"Mass shooting" is certainly a euphemism. It sounds almost accidental.
The high capacity semi automatic rifle is certainly blameworthy in this question. Having shot one ( and I can say I liked shooting it) it is easy to fire, little recoil, easy to point and shoot, and not that hard to learn to use. Probably why they are the weapon on choice for draftees and other boot recruits to teach them the operative training to shoot.
There are a lot of Federal gun laws that already exist. To some degree, they are pretty weak. They are obviously designed to be that way. For example, there is a maximum punishment for buying multiple guns for bad purposes. At some point, the more you buy just doesn't matter. They don't seem to reach this type of terror. It must be intentional.
At heart I think the Feds think this is a local problem and not a national problem. And Congress follows along. Even when they get shot up. That's a shame. Look at what happened in the 1986 Miami FBI shootout. The death of 2 FBI agents prompted a wholesale re-gunning of all of law enforcement. But the random violent deaths of ordinary people - nothing can prevent that, right?
And there is no question the fact that there is no liability for manufacturers and sellers is a reason that the supply just continues.
As long as the man on the street can get a hold of the same weapons as law enforcement or military, it it will be hard to keep this disorder from erupting.
None of this has to do with hunting, or self defense, or recreational target shooting, or things that normal people do.
These killings are getting too close to home. I can imagine I could have been at the Route 91 Harvest Festival listening to Jason Aldean on October 1, 2017. And I was nervous is my own church on Christmas Eve - fearing that some crazed person could come through our open door like in Charleston, SC or Sutherland Springs, TX. That's a bad feeling to have.
It seems a cop out to say new laws won't matter. I think that it is time to do something, even if it turns out to be mistaken. Inaction doesn't seem to be working.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
15th Congressional District of Texas
I am a constituent of the 15th Congressional District. Reading an old obituary of Milton West, he was this district's Congressman from 1936 to 1948. He lived in Brownsville, TX.
He was succeeded by Lloyd Bentsen (1948-1955), then Joe Kilgore (1955-1965). I met a man who received his Naval Academy commission from Joe Kilgore.
Kiki De La Garza followed, and he was a Congressman for over 30 years.
Thereafter Ruben Hinojosa served for over 20 years, and now Vicenete Gonzalez is our representative.
What can we tell about this? This area of South Texas must have been considerably larger when the population was less. It apparently covered the entire Valley. Back then the Anglos controled all the politics, based on a large divesting of property which was then bought in large chunks and sold off at retail. Such is the story of America. In the 60s, the Hispanic wave crested and the locals started getting elected. Once they rose in this Majority minority area, there was no turning back.
He was succeeded by Lloyd Bentsen (1948-1955), then Joe Kilgore (1955-1965). I met a man who received his Naval Academy commission from Joe Kilgore.
Kiki De La Garza followed, and he was a Congressman for over 30 years.
Thereafter Ruben Hinojosa served for over 20 years, and now Vicenete Gonzalez is our representative.
What can we tell about this? This area of South Texas must have been considerably larger when the population was less. It apparently covered the entire Valley. Back then the Anglos controled all the politics, based on a large divesting of property which was then bought in large chunks and sold off at retail. Such is the story of America. In the 60s, the Hispanic wave crested and the locals started getting elected. Once they rose in this Majority minority area, there was no turning back.
Saturday, February 3, 2018
Jerry Seinfeld
As part of my Christmas present, Sarah bought us tickets to see Jerry Seinfeld in Madison. The show was last night, Friday, 9:30 p.m at the Overture Theater.
It was like seeing an old friend that you had not seen in years. After a short time, you realize he has not changed at all. The show had what I would call 5 acts, the first being his Observational humor, the second, nostalgia, the third, "new" technology, the fourth, marriage, and the fifth, a wrap of Observational.
Coming to prominence in the 90s, his takes on cell phones and email make him sound like the 63 year old that he is. But like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he is necessarily hemmed in by what people remember and expect. He couldn't even bring himself to say "F***"
A good show and a lot of fun. I never would have seen it otherwise. Thanks for a great Christmas present and a memorable trip. Might have well as been on Broadway.
It was like seeing an old friend that you had not seen in years. After a short time, you realize he has not changed at all. The show had what I would call 5 acts, the first being his Observational humor, the second, nostalgia, the third, "new" technology, the fourth, marriage, and the fifth, a wrap of Observational.
Coming to prominence in the 90s, his takes on cell phones and email make him sound like the 63 year old that he is. But like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he is necessarily hemmed in by what people remember and expect. He couldn't even bring himself to say "F***"
A good show and a lot of fun. I never would have seen it otherwise. Thanks for a great Christmas present and a memorable trip. Might have well as been on Broadway.
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