DALLAS HITS THE HEAT JACKPOT

Our high temperature of 107° yesterday marked the 70th day this summer that the temperature has attained triple digit marks. The old record of 69 days was set back in that horrendous summer of 1980, but we were better or worse, like the heat or not. Putting this all in perspective – our average number of summer days at 100° or above is eighteen (18) so we are literally in a rarified atmosphere all thanks to La Nina and a dome of high pressure that just won’t move. Despite some thundershowers to our northwest this morning we will probably hit 100° again today further solidifying our hold on the record.

We are not alone with cities and regions all across the southwest setting equally impressive marks. Even in the deep Piney Woods of east Texas my old haunt of Lufkin set a new record this year. Horror of horrors with their recently extended burn ban, no barbecuing is even allowed…

Long after this record fails to impress and is lost in weather history, the effects of this heat wave will be felt. As we have reported in earlier posts, already compromised building foundations, streets and other utilities are continuing to deteriorate. The Texas power grid has been pushed into the red zone and beyond. Texas agriculture and ranching have been substantially compromised and probably changed forever. The long term effects of the drought will soon be seen in the trees and landscapes of our area. Already over three and one half million acres have burned in Texas including numerous new fires and the horrendous Bastrop fire near Austin which after two weeks and the heroics of firefighters is still only 60% contained. The area has been described alternately as a war zone and “volcanic” by state officials.

No sense of pride here, just survival. Questions heard on the street include, “Where’s a hurricane when you need one?” and “Can a tee shirt be far behind?”

Aye,

Ned Buxton

PS. That morning rain never arrived save a few scattered drops that just seemed meant to tantalize. The Bastrop fire is now 75% contained though has now attained status as the worst fire in Texas history. Last night the recovery process was in full swing as the Bastrop Bears defeated San Marcos Rattlers, 48-23 in football. During the halftime ceremonies the community honored and thanked all the first responders and firefighters who continue to work on their behalf.

Aye,

Ned

THE REAL DEFINITION OF THEORY – RICK PERRY TAKE NOTE

As we have seen recently many politicians, especially those on the far fundamentalist right are inclined to interpret all they see within their domain in Biblical terms. That especially includes evolution which is consistent with their mostly literal interpretation of the Bible and Genesis. Like GOP presidential candidate, Governor Rick Perry of Texas recently opined to a youngster in Manchester, NH, "I know your mom is asking about evolution. It's a theory that's out there and it's got some gaps in it.”

So Perry is either incredibly naïve about science and the differences between scientific laws, hypotheses and theories or he’ll just say anything for votes. Either option is a sad indictment and certainly not qualities we want to see in a world leader in the 21st century. It would appear that Perry will continue to blur the lines of distinction between Science and Religion as, "a firm believer in intelligent design (creationism) as a matter of faith and intellect."

We understand the “faith” part of his statement, but the “intellect” component scares us. Everybody has a right to embrace their own belief systems but when they try and shove it down our throats under the guise of credible, mandatory education (even public policy), we have a problem. Perry and the Republicans have been trying to do that in Texas, witness the scary logic and machinations of former chairman of the Texas State Board of Education, Don McLeroy, a Perry appointee.

But let’s get back to basics and put this issue in perspective by acknowledging that it is to the obvious advantage of those with a literalist, far right agenda to discredit science and evolution. In order to justify their thoughts, words and deeds they borrow credible and seemingly scientific terms like “intelligent”, “design”, “creation” and even “scientific” to denote a belief system that incorporates none of these aspects.

So, we need to define what the scientific method is and the not so subtle differences in scientific Laws, hypotheses and theories. During our research we came across several great articles/posts but none were as clear and understandable as Wilstar.com and their post Scientific Laws, Hypotheses, and Theories. We can do no better and heartily recommend.

Confusing this whole issue are individuals who don’t understand or won’t credit the concepts, protocols, disciplines and the attendant vocabulary and terms scientists use. That includes use of the term theory which conveniently for some can also mean that based on limited knowledge, a conjecture or assumption - a mere guess or something that hasn’t yet been proved. Again, it has a whole different meaning in science and that’s the Perry Blur.

Theories including the Theory of Evolution are based on the application of the scientific method where scientists propose one or more hypotheses or explanations for the process and then test them for accuracy and correctness. Evolution has passed thousands of such tests and is accepted to be true by the scientific community and most of the rest of the world, including this writer.

Here’s the kicker and perhaps why we retain the term theory. Scientists will always assume that there may be an opportunity to refine, fine tune and perfect all theories as new evidence is discovered. Simply put, they can build on an existing and proven truth. Scientists are always willing to alter any theory when and if new evidence is discovered, presented, tested and found to be valid. This scientific method allows any theory to ultimately become more and more accurate as research progresses. Ultimately, there is no agenda, no right or wrong in science – rather just what the record reflects.

A great example would be the discovery and analysis of DNA evidence that from the mainstream perspective squarely puts the origins of modern man in that part of the world we now call Africa. We know that to be true because of the distribution of archaic DNA material in Homo sapiens sapiens around the world today.

Will that theory be tweaked? Absolutely! As new evidence is discovered we will add to our already credible body of knowledge. That same tested, tried and proven “Out of Africa” theory is also irrefutable evidence for evolution. The question now remains, rather, the extent of regional interbreeding and exchange between modern humans and archaic forms in Africa, not whether evolution is a viable theory. That debate has been over for some time.

So, when you see the word theory used to describe a scientific conclusion that may include Relativity, Plate Tectonics, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Evolution, etc. think in terms of science and find comfort that these theories have passed incredible scrutiny.

So, don’t sell yourself short by believing the nonsense and irresponsible statements you hear from politicians like Perry and Bachmann. The next time Perry tries to lump science and, frankly, all that doesn’t fit into his very, very small universe as nothing more than conjecture, call him on it and judge him accordingly. Questions? Refer to the non-partisan factcheck.org or snopes.com to see where the truth lies.

Sometimes being a “straight talker” isn’t enough especially if that talk is all palaver. If enough of us don’t hold radicalized public officials like Perry and Bachmann accountable for their outrageous perspectives and judge them honestly on their beliefs and attitudes then go and pick out your club for evolution or not we are all going back to the Stone Age. But, irony of ironies, Perry doesn’t believe the earth is older than 6,000 years old…

Aye,

Ned Buxton

JERRY LEWIS AND THE MDA

Since I was a kid in the 1950’s I remember Jerry Lewis as a comedian who was mostly paired up with Dean Martin (Martin & Lewis) and also as the actor comedian who hosted fund raising events for sick kids. We didn’t exactly know what muscular dystrophy was back then but we had seen lots of kids come out of the 40’s and 50’s with the dreaded polio virus and neuromuscular diseases like Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS).

Lewis at the behest of a staff member began hosting local telethons to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Associations of America (MDA) in 1952. These benefits were held in New York and some were reported on Providence, RI TV (seen by this writer) and received widespread attention. MDA approached Jerry about hosting a national telethon and thus was born the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, since renamed the MDA Labor Day Telethon. Lewis hosted that show from 1966 to 2010 and according to MDA raised over $2.6 billion (US). Equally important, Lewis with his celebrity raised awareness about muscular disease throughout the international community.

From 1966 to last year – no matter where I was – I watched at least a snippet of that Labor Day ritual. Sometimes I even tried to emulate Jerry and pull an all-nighter but I was never as strong as Jerry and his incredible crew. I didn’t watch this year – not one second – though I will write a check.

That show with its attendant emotion and sometimes not so predictable success was the heartbeat of America over that Labor Day weekend. The world watched in that grueling, knee buckling and exhausting LIVE marathon as Jerry poured his heart out (OK, punctuated with some good acting) wondering in cliff-hanger, soap opera fashion whether he would make the goal. Jerry always got the job done.

That telethon was never boring and given the spontaneous nature of the event you never knew what Jerry was going to say or do next (“unpredictable, in a good way”). That show will now seemingly morph into a bland, shop-worn showcase for corporate America and groups of responsible citizens from firefighters to cheerleaders to walk on camera, present a check and take their bows. While these groups deserve the accolade it will be mostly staged from this point on. That’s predictable given the year round macro management now required to put on such a huge event. On the local level the true spirit of the telethon is still epitomized by kids motivated to run neighborhood lemonade stands to raise money for, “Jerry’s Kids.” We saw one flourishing the other day in Dallas.

On May 16 Lewis announced his retirement as telethon host though would remain on as MDA National Chairman and at least do a walk-on in 2011. On August 3, 2011 MDA tersely and unceremoniously announced that the now 85 year old Jerry Lewis had been removed as MDA National Chairman and would not participate in the telethon. An incredulous public including this writer gasped. The reaction was universal and for me was epitomized by David Letterman’s very talented bandleader (actor, author, comedian and composer) Paul Shaffer who opined that Lewis’ absence seemed hard to believe. Shaffer often praised for his own charity work (Epilepsy Canada) and with his own star on Canada's Walk of Fame commented further, “I think it’s insane.” And it is…

The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon to the current MDA hierarchy had become an albatross - another time capsule not unlike the one recently discovered in a wall of the old Hall Elementary School building in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Jerry Lewis Telethon had become a vestige of the past and the way we used to do things. The world has changed and however unceremonious and distasteful, MDA felt it was time to move on.

Seemingly because of all the outrage surrounding Lewis’ ouster, the beginning of the MDA Telethon included Jerry Lewis tributes delivered by the show’s new hosts though MDA and Lewis would not comment or elaborate on the remarks.

From this point on there is nothing but speculation abounding about what really happened between Jerry’s announcement on May 16 and MDA’s lynching on August 3rd. Something happened, words spoken but nobody’s talking now. If you go on the MDA site some of the pages that relate to Jerry are now inaccessible. The MDA site disrespectfully has no mention of Jerry Lewis under “Telethon History.” That by itself makes MDA look very bad. We all needed a better outcome.

So, whether it was the disability activists who thought Jerry was throwing an annual pity party; Jerry’s very personal identification with the cause; Lewis’ recent dissing of the new telethon co-hosts; shrinking revenues and TV markets/coverages; corporate big wigs who couldn’t appreciate Lewis’ slapstick, sometimes irreverent and inappropriate shoot from the hip actions and comments; Jerry’s own failing health or something we haven’t even fathomed – it doesn’t really matter. Any further speculation about the reasons still won’t bring Lewis back. It seems more prudent to look forward but still somehow find a way to show our appreciation and gratitude for the absolutely heroic life’s work that Jerry Lewis has performed. That, of course, is continuing our support for MDA and encouraging a reconciliation.

Whatever the reason, Jerry’s gone for now and MDA did OK this year. No doubt this whole issue was handled very badly, much to the discredit of MDA, even if they turn out to be good guys.

As Jerry would still dutifully say, nothing else matters, it’s all about the kids…and the adults. Thank you Jerry.

Aye,

Ned Buxton

DALLAS AND NORTH TEXAS – DRY AND BRITTLE

Our October 2007 Water, Water Not In Atlanta post outlined some of the misery when Atlanta and north Georgia was in a severe drought crisis, seemingly the worst in the history of that region. We commiserated with our north Georgia cousins invoking our own similar experience just two years earlier and assured them the rain would return. It did, though that Georgia drought exacerbated the ill feelings and further compromised the already precarious environmental relationship Georgia has with the states of Alabama and Florida who also depend on the waters of the Chattahoochee River to supply water to residents and irrigate crops. That controversy continues and we wonder if it will ever be amicably (or reasonably) resolved. It’s a modern war over water now a scarce commodity here in Texas.

You’d be right if you assumed that many of us here in Texas have a great appreciation for our water resources. Well educated Texans know that there are no natural lakes in our area save Lake Caddo which is well east over on the Louisiana-Texas border. Even then Caddo was the result of water backed up by a 100-mile log jam on the Red River in Louisiana. The removal of the jam was accomplished by Buxton ancestor, steamboat builder and river captain Henry Miller Shreve (1785–1851) who opened the Mississippi, Ohio and Red rivers to steamboat navigation and was memorialized forever and a day with the naming of Shreveport, Louisiana.

Given the scarcity of this natural resource and spurned on by the record drought of the 1950s Texas built dozens of reservoirs (now almost 200) designed to maintain an adequate water supply in the event of another inevitable severe drought. We wonder, however, if regional planners have accurately conjured the meteoric growth of our state and the ultimate demands still to be placed on our still limited water resources. We have seen low population projections that in the opinion of the water folks will see the state of Texas unable to supply water to the great majority of its residents by 2060 in the event of severe drought. More pragmatic folks say that figure is closer to 2025.

This year (the hottest and driest on record in Texas) thanks to La Nina we have been faced with a true test of our plan and the jury’s still out whether we passed or failed. If the citizenry of our state doesn’t wake up and listen to those that monitor those precious water resources, then many feel that we will have an ultimate failing grade. Simply translated: if we don’t change some attitudes and conservation practices then someday we won’t have enough water for everybody.

The north Texas DFW region has a humid subtropical climate, though situated so that we also experience the heat and drought typical of the semi-arid region to our immediate west. This is all capped off by spring cool fronts that move south out of the high plains and Midwest only to collide with the warm, humid air streaming north from the Gulf of Mexico. That spawns severe thunderstorms, many with hail and tornadoes prompting our inclusion in the southern aspect of Tornado Alley. In short, we get a wide variety of weather that can include cold bitter wind chills from storms that sweep down from Canada in the winter, witness the 2011 Super Bowl fiasco at Cowboy Stadium.

So our precipitation in Texas has always been boom or bust, either too much or too little as the folks in Vermont can now attest. We aren’t getting enough rain at present and area lakes are being quickly depleted. North Texas area lakes have more water than other regions of the state and, thankfully, as of this writing it looks like the excessive 100°+ degree weather may be on the wane starting next week. Huzzah!

Even with our good fortune most of north Texas and for that matter most of the state is now rationing water. The DFW metro cities of Richardson, Plano, Frisco, Allen, Forney, Wylie, Rockwall, Garland and many others get their water from the North Texas Municipal Water District and are now in stage 2 mandatory restrictions. Many other cities are in voluntary water restrictions limiting any watering from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. That would include Dallas and Fort Worth who appear close to implementing mandatory restrictions. The fact that nearly 500 water systems throughout Texas are now under mandatory restrictions is unprecedented.

It’s easy to identify folks who are abiding by the water restrictions. A quick drive thru of any DFW neighborhood will feature dead and dying brown or yellowing lawns - proof positive that those homeowners are serious about conserving water. Lush, green lawns that are obviously being watered every day are the scarlet letter for those who care only for themselves and not for the good of the many. Even in the best of times we know that despite all our proactive conservation efforts roughly 50% of all the water consumed ends up on our lawns. The conclusion is obvious – we all have to change how we, first of all, perceive, then use and preserve this resource.

I drove through our neighborhood the other day and saw sprinklers on during the middle of the day, one guy washing a car in his driveway and another hosing off the gutters in the street in front of his home. A drive down some of the business and apartment thoroughfares will find sprinklers going strong during the day with all its attendant runoff. These incredibly stupid and callous acts are those that will tip us to an increased water rationing and the potential that some folks might not be able to get a drink of water. Ultimately that kind of irresponsibility will put us out of business.

Our infrastructure is already taking an incredible beating with almost daily water main breaks where the earth has moved mains and water supply lines where they didn’t want to go. Many roads have buckled and heaved and even if passable, drivers need to use special caution when traversing these areas. Railroad tracks have warped (so-called sun kinks) prompting a super heightened maintenance vigilance and much slower train runs. Rolling power outages have started to hit major population areas as record demands are placed on energy sources. The reduction and outright loss of trees and other vegetation is exacerbating the superheating effect that our cities (already heat islands) have on their surrounding environments.

As a youngster and even young adult I would never have dreamed that we would actually pay for water in a bottle. There was a lot of controversy when it was first introduced though now with its mostly guaranteed quality, portability and availability, it’s a major industry and a seeming harbinger of water in the future a la macro blue gold futurist T. Boone Pickens.

This week amid all this heat and drought I saw hope and promise in a mass planting of Texas Sage profuse with extraordinary amethyst blooms on silver leaves along the George H. W. Bush Tollway north of Dallas. They were magnificent and perhaps along with the succulent Red Yucca and other plants more suitable for our summer heat, a harbinger of what more of us should and will be planting around our homes in the near future.

And speaking about responsible plantings of native trees and plants, who were the yahoos (municipal arborists?) who brought in the Bald Cypress to the very alkaline and dry soils of north Texas? I was dumbfounded when I came back to north Texas and saw these trees which require acid soil and very wet feet. Tree of the Year or not, while they have survived and even flourished in good times with reliable irrigation, in this unprecedented severe drought and heat they are not just dropping their leaves, rather dying all over the metro area. They may be our canary in the coal mine – a foreign species of life brought into a hostile environment and now succumbing to Mother Nature.

Our reality is much crueler than a misplaced species of tree, however. Because of the drought and heat many Texas ranchers and farmers have quit or retired never to return again. So - no cattle, no auctions, no transportation and a whole industry – in a state where cattle far outnumbered people – now gutted. No plants, no insects, no pollination, no birds or other animal life and no agriculture as we have known it. The cycle of life and the food chain, all linked together has been compromised. And what about our continuing record-breaking wildfire season?

What about the effects of the heat and drought on John and Jane Doe? At work folks have commented about the changes they see in the overall demeanor and heightened stress levels of individuals including drivers who appear less cautious and respectful. Many are on edge what with the recession, increased cost of food, power, water, gas – the list goes on. The heat and drought have put a fork in it. One gentleman recently observed, “Everybody’s not in quite as good a mood as they could be. It just kinda beats you down.”

We wonder about Texas Governor Rick Perry’s blustery posturing against the Federal government and President Obama despite their substantial and apparent uncredited support fighting the wildfires and all the while hypocritically cutting the budget of the Texas Forest Service, the very agency charged with fighting those fires. Now how about Perry’s very public strategy to deal with the drought and heat – prayers. Perry is as we say in Texas, “A hat with no cattle.”

This chapter in Texas history is a reminder that we are only temporary occupants in a self-correcting system where we are the ones who have to make concessions to our environment. Our Native American Brothers and Sisters had it right all along: the Earth will sustain Homo sapiens and all other life on the planet to the degree that we choose to be good stewards of its controllable resources. Failing that we will go the way of the dinosaurs. Just ask the folks left in Happy, Texas. The state of Texas, Ladies and Gentlemen, has been changed forever.

Aye,

Ned Buxton

GOVERNOR RICK PERRY – ANOTHER WARNING

Let me be very clear that I have voted for Rick Perry for Governor of the State of Texas. Let me also be very clear that even as a Moderate Conservative whose granddaddy served on the Republican National Committee, this writer will ponder righteously before voting for him again for any other public office – however modest or important – especially including President.

Without any consideration for political substance I always liked the “Rick Persona”. Rick is Ray and Amelia’s boy from Paint Creek and I liked his unassuming, deferential pastoralism. His home-grown rural, working class style, tone and rhetoric seemed to fit us as he concentrated on creating a positive environment for business and related to critical fundamental issues like immigration that reflect our border status. The ill-conceived and now cancelled Trans-Texas Corridor and Cameron Todd Willingham aside, I guess that I naively never knew nor cared about how he felt about any other topics and for that, shame on me. It would appear that Perry has reinvented himself as the new poster child for the religious right in order to advance his political agenda and perhaps even consolidate and energize its base. That’s what got my earnest attention.

My Perry devolution actually started in 2009 when obviously shooting from the hip he stated outright to a bunch of Tea Party folks, “When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that...” Perry then insinuated that secession from the United States continues as an option for Texas? The Texas State Archives and Library address that issue as follows, “In fact, Texas received no special terms in its admission to the Union. Once Texas had agreed to join the Union, she never had the legal option of leaving, either before or after the Civil War.” Perry’s PR folks continue to spin that one yet it’s obvious to this writer that Perry doesn’t have a clue about American or Texas history and is willing to say and do anything to appeal to the visceral and confrontational emotions of the extreme right wing of the Republican Party.

Yet, for all this Perry is now collaborating within the system to gain the presidency of the United States of America. I guess some might say that’s another take on the if you can’t beat them, join them mantra. It would appear to this writer, however, that despite his loathing of the federal government this is an attempt to change our government into something Perry feels more acceptable – and frankly from a process perspective, that’s not all bad. That’s the way our system works. Glad he appreciates that opportunity though if he is going to be perceived as a serious candidate he needs to be more in tune with historical fact and the reality of the Texas institutions over which he has purview. Perry surely has no clue about scientific method and the differences between scientific laws, hypotheses, and theories.

Whatever his motivation he has now joined Michele Bachmann in the Foot in Mouth Club (FIMC) given his propensity to utter absolutely absurd crap. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a warning… How did I miss this before? Word on the street is his managers and speech makers have been trying to rein him in since he declared for the Republican Presidential Nomination and have directed him to carefully read comments that have been scripted for him. That stratagem hasn’t worked and probably won’t fly especially with Perry’s freewheeling style, glad-handing and the spontaneous nature of rallies, neighborhood and town hall meetings that now characterize political campaigns.

Perry was recently bushwhacked at a Portsmouth, NH rally where an obviously concerned Mother through her young son damaged Perry’s not so quietly eroding credibility. The sad and slimy reality was that the Mother used her minor child to get at Perry knowing how politicians like to kiss babies and pander to children.

That child obviously goaded on by his mother asked Perry how old he thought the Earth was. Perry said he didn't know, but that he expects it’s "pretty old." At this point the Mother can then be heard in the background, “Ask him about evolution."

Perry responded, "I know your mom is asking about evolution. It's a theory that's out there and it's got some gaps in it. In Texas, we teach creationism and evolution because I feel you're smart enough to figure out which one is right."

So Perry declared to the whole world that Texas public schools teach creationism alongside evolution — a statement that is patently false and contradicts the 1987 United States Supreme Court ruling (Edwards v. Aguillard) that teaching creationism in public schools was unconstitutional because it advanced religious beliefs. Now if that raises the hackles of some fundamentalist folks let them be reminded despite what you have been fed, 72 Nobel prize-winning scientists, 17 state academies of science and 7 other scientific organizations filed amicus curiae (Friend of the Court) briefs in support of Aguillard describing creation “science” as part and parcel of religious tenets. And, no, that there is nothing scientific or intelligent about Creationism and, yes, Perry will continue to blur the lines of distinction between Science and Religion as, "a firm believer in intelligent design (creationism) as a matter of faith and intellect" and seemingly because it’s good theater that plays to his base.

Debbie Ratcliffe spokesperson for the Texas Education Agency issued the following statement to Talking Points Memo (TPM) in response to Perry’s comments, "Our science standards require students to analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations, so it is likely that other theories, such as creationism, would be discussed in class," she said. "Our schools can also offer an elective course on Biblical history and it is likely that creationism is discussed as part of that class too." So, the State of Texas offers elective Religion and Biblical history courses but all under the label of Religion and not disguised as “Science”.

TPM followed up with Ross Ann Hill, president of the Science Teachers Association of Texas (STAT) who pointed out that, “Evolution is part of the curriculum and creationism is not. Students are expected to know that "Evolutionary theory is a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life."

TPM contacted Kevin Fisher, a former STAT president and current president of the Texas Science Education Leadership Association who stated that the controversy could leave students unprepared for the Texas State assessment test and, ultimately, college biology courses. Fisher also offered that, "Usually if creationism is brought up, teachers would discuss the nature of what is science and not science...and help the students understand the difference between science and religion. What Perry said is not an accurate statement about what occurs in Texas science classrooms."

I got a kick out of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, another contender for the GOP presidential nomination, who took Perry’s most recent creationism comments to heart Twittering, “To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy." Though Huntsman isn’t going to win the Republican nomination, he earned some major points with Independents.

On global warming – We at Might of Right think that the earth is going through some changes – some natural and some manipulated or at least exacerbated by Man. That sentiment is pretty much echoed by Mitt Romney and I suspect most Americans. While we certainly don’t believe in the scare tactics offered by a beaming Al Gore (I told you so), the reality is that a change is taking place. Perry’s response: the scientists have cooked the books and manipulated the data so they can continue their research of the phenomenon. From Perry’s bully pulpit the scientific community around the world created and is perpetuating an economic opportunity for themselves. The ostrich has his head deep in the sand while we desperately need someone responsible and educated to facilitate/devise a strategy to address this alarming trend.

While campaigning in Iowa last week Rick Perry further validated his FIMC pedigree demonstrating his ignorance of economics and worse yet crossing the line of civility with his extremist rhetoric that it would be "almost treasonous" for Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank, Ben Bernanke, to print more money between now and the 2012 election. "I don't know what y'all would do to him in Iowa, but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas," Perry said. While Bernanke may be imperfect (like the rest of us), he appears to be doing everything he can within reason to stimulate the economy. Perry’s remarks were perceived by many as a threat, including the White House. Now, just how ugly would it get, Rick? Mr. Benanke, on behalf of all Texans, thank you for your service to our country. Come on down to Texas and we’ll honor you with a BBQ with all the fixins, give you a plaque and some gewgaws to take home with you.

Indeed, Perry has been chastised by many Republicans for his inappropriate remarks and even called, “an idiot” by Bruce Bartlett, a Treasury official under George H.W. Bush and domestic policy adviser to former President and Republican icon Ronald Reagan. It appears that the only folks willing to defend Perry are the commentators at FOX who portrayed Perry as “passionate” about the issue characterizing his approach and demeanor as a, “Texas Swagger.” Lemmings all…

With the latest outbreak of verbal excreta by Perry, Karl Rove and other Republicans offered that Perry’s comments weren’t, “Presidential.” Rove then expressed concerns about all the GOP presidential hopefuls, stating that they needed to think more about their ultimate electability rather than moving further to the right. It sure is right crowded there….

Some including Dr. Mark Chaves, professor of sociology and religion at Duke University insinuate whether that end of the political spectrum anchored by Perry and Bachman is even a wise political stratagem. Chaves notes in his new book, American Religion: Contemporary Trends, “that the Michele Bachmanns and Rick Perrys of the world are playing to a base that's much smaller than it was in the 1970s and 1980s."

The recent very dramatic polarization of religion with politics and the ascension of the Religious Right (Bachmann and Perry) has not been without consequence with some of that seemingly well-choreographed. The disaffection of many young moderates and progressives of the Gen Y /Millennial Generation (spiritual though progressive on most social issues) from religion may well find the politics of the conservative right equally unacceptable.

Co-authors of American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us, Harvard professor Robert D. Putnam and Notre Dame professor David E. Campbell, opined in an October, 2010 article in the LA Times, “Walking Away From Church,” “Increasingly, young people saw religion as intolerant, hypocritical, judgmental and homophobic. If being religious entailed political conservatism, they concluded, religion was not for them.” Putnam and Campbell continued, “The Tea Party's sinking approval rating -- currently at 20 percent, below Republicans, Democrats, atheists and Muslims -- signals a growing discomfort with mingling faith and politics, including the kind of "overt religious language and imagery" recently used by Bachmann and Perry on the campaign trail.”

Some speculate that for some of those Republicans on the far, far right this is a deliberate stratagem to gain control of the political and cultural institutions of our country – what some now refer to as dominionism. While no one knows where Perry stands on this issue, there are those in that camp “firmly rooted in biblical principles” who believe that, “the Bible offers explicit guidance on public policy” and that Christians and only Christians should have purview of them - all in advance of the tribulation and “end of days”. Putnam and Campbell offer that the Tea Party is much more religious than originally thought that, “The Tea Party's generals may say their overriding concern is a smaller government, but not their rank and file, who are more concerned about putting God in government.”

We wonder about these issues more than ever when you have yahoos like the Reverend Pat Robertson (a charter member of FIMC) who have historically merged religion and politics. Robertson continues his hysteria by now declaring that the recent earthquake in the eastern United States is certainly a harbinger of the second coming of Christ (old song, new verse). Of course, we all remember his infamous “pact with the devil” explanation for the earthquake that rocked Haiti and killed 200,000+ people in 2010 and suggesting in 2005 that Hurricane Katrina was fomented by legal abortion. Robertson has suggested that 911 and the Katrina disaster in New Orleans, "could... be connected in some way.” Robertson’s explanation for any natural disaster of magnitude, terrorism and even our recession is the manifestation of God’s displeasure with something we are or are not doing. Wonder what he will say about Hurricane Irene? Remember, this guy wanted to be president and in 1987 won the Republican Ames Straw Poll and ran well in the Iowa Caucus – just like Michele Bachmann who has now slipped in the polls.

We ask how can folks of that ilk be counted on to make sane and rational decisions in times of national emergency, let alone run the day to day operations of the country?

Bill Keller, Executive Editor of The New York Times said it all when he addressed a rigid religious doctrinal approach by any political candidate, “And I care a lot if a candidate is going to be a Trojan horse for a sect that believes it has divine/Biblical instructions on how we should be governed.” “… I do want to know if a candidate places fealty to the Bible, the Book of Mormon (the text, not the Broadway musical) or some other authority higher than the Constitution and laws of this country. It matters to me whether a president respects serious science and verifiable history — in short, belongs to what an official in a previous administration once scornfully described as “the reality-based community.” I do care if religious doctrine becomes an excuse to exclude my fellow citizens from the rights and protections our country promises.”

We don’t know at this time if Perry is just along for the ride, an opportunist pragmatically courting those far right votes. However, while he is riding a wave of popularity now, in this interim he could be destroying any credibility he may have had with the great majority of voters.

Michael Keegan observed in the Huffington Post that Perry is in the process of uniting the really far right and the really, really far right and “If Rick Perry does become the Republican ‘unity candidate,’ that will be further evidence that the GOP has abandoned any credible claim to representing the economic interests or constitutional values embraced by most Americans.” We agree. A Perry nomination would give a legitimate voice to every extremist wacko on the far, far right. Some folks have been overheard speculating that a Perry/Bachmann ticket would finally, for the Republicans become for them a self-fulfilling prophecy – the end of their times.

And Pulitzer Prize winning Opinion Writer Kathleen Parker of the Washington Post with her usual keen insight has absolutely nailed the issue for me with her post just a few minutes ago observing that we seem to be sliding towards a debate that has little to do with a candidate’s policies, rather, “everything to do with whether he or she believes in God” and “signal that we are slip-sliding toward governance by emotion rather than reason.”

Parker continued, “Perry knows he has to make clear that God is his wingman. And this conviction seems not only to be sincere, but also to be relatively noncontroversial in the GOP’s church — and perhaps beyond. He understands that his base cares more that the president is clear on his ranking in the planetary order than whether he can schmooze with European leaders or, heaven forbid, the media. And this is why Perry could easily steal the nomination from Romney.

And also why he probably can’t win a national election, in which large swaths of the electorate would prefer that their president keep his religion close and be respectful of knowledge that has evolved from thousands of years of human struggle against superstition and the kind of literal-mindedness that leads straight to the dark ages.”

And finally, if you believe Rick Perry’s assurances that the State of Texas has the best record in just about everything in our country (health care, education, jobs, etc.), despite the recession, I have some swamp land to sell you. While Texas is certainly business friendly and has created jobs, please look up our overall record, delve deeply and come to your own conclusions.

Me? I’m going to pray on it… and find comfort that despite Perry’s naïve good ole boy approach he probably knows where Martha’s Vineyard is.

Aye,

Ned Buxton

IDENTITY AND MOTHER NATURE

I recently spent another wonderful summer week in Red Lodge, Montana in the shadow of nearby Grizzly Peak all framed by those magnificent, snow covered Beartooth Mountains. It all went by too fast – so much to see and do, so little time...

Fittingly, a whole Different Kind of Animal - Frontier Airlines - was our means of transport to Montana and then back to Dallas from Billings via Denver. They did their usual superb job.

While we were waiting to board our flight home I couldn’t help but notice all the tourists regaled in every kind of T-Shirt or ball cap that declared their affiliations or their most recent encounters with the geography, flora, fauna or activity of the area. Like the diversity of the wildlife in Yellowstone, the huge number and types of T-Shirts was absolutely amazing. We all want to belong to a special group and likewise hold up and declare to the whole world what we think is important, what we have done and T-Shirts accomplish that goal.

Understanding that this is just an early August weekend snapshot, most of the shirts that numbered in the hundreds showcased Yellowstone National Park and many of its features including Old Faithful, Yellowstone Lake and Falls, or some of its more prodigious animal life including Moose, Elk, Grizzly, Black Bear, Red Fox, Gray Wolf, Bison, Pronghorn Antelope, Deer, Cutthroat Trout and even the threatened Lynx, among others. Even the several states that incorporate Yellowstone National Park including Wyoming, Montana and Idaho were featured in some of the shirts. Shirts heralded various activities within The Park including tent camping (not this kid!), climbing rafting, paddling (canoeing and kayaking), among others.

I even noted one shirt that just said YELLOWSTONE in large faded capital letters with YNP and 1872 (the date Yellowstone was founded) in extra wide bold letters. With that shirt we have ascended to the upper stratosphere of privilege, subtlety and perhaps even snobbery. Over 900,000 people visited Yellowstone this July (third year in a row) probably attributable to our staycation rationale. Good or bad, no doubt in future years Yellowstone will surely surpass 4 million annual visitors, many of whom will buy at least one T-Shirt. I frankly don’t know if Yellowstone can accommodate more visitors without permanently damaging their ecosystem or further habituating their wildlife to humans.

So, the medium of T-Shirts we use to pass on a message or to identify ourselves as part of a special class is here to stay along with other clothing and paraphernalia. Along those lines I couldn’t help noticing the hundreds even thousands of welcome bikers in Red Lodge many with the obligatory and very functional leather jackets, T-Shirts, kerchiefs and do rags with most declaring allegiance to Harley Davidson, pilgrimage to Sturgis or another like message. Not surprisingly members of the American Motorcyclist Association have again voted the Beartooth Highway as their favorite stretch of road in the United States. Their numbers grow and I share that sentiment for that daring and scenic stretch of mountain highway known for its steep switchbacks (fall down, fall off) that ascend up to Beartooth Pass at 10,947 feet. As a side bar the only other road that comes close is Trail Ridge Road in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). While known for its spectacular views and higher elevation (climbing to 12,183 feet), it is much tamer.

While these bikers come from myriad communities across North America and no doubt are individualists in their own environments, this year many more looked cloned. They were different but all the same. Also, there seemed to be more screaming eagles and skull jackets and fewer sport bikers. I know this is stereotypical but I saw more angry, rough looking men with long hair (or none at all), beards, mustaches, some piercings and lots of tattoos.

Having said that I suspect there were lots of accountants, lawyers and bankers, etc. in that lot. Many professional folks like to jump out of their seemingly mundane lives and adopt a mean, tough persona that includes a Fu Manchu, goatee, shaved head, scowl and with an old timey Nashville Country look that belies their more genteel nature. I guess we on the Highland Games and Scottish Festival fields all decked out in our kilts and country dress are no different though we are celebrating our Scottish origins and culture – all part of that one day longer declaration. Again, whether its leathers on the Beartooth or the Keith & Austin Kilt at Grandfather Mountain, it’s all part of being part of something bigger than we are by ourselves – and that gives us and our ain folk credibility and integrity.

Now back at home in a scorching, drought stricken Dallas, Texas I continue to ponder these cultural paradigms, of course, while wearing my new 2011 Red Lodge T-Shirt wondering how I would look in a Fu Manchu and a tattoo – a thistle, of course…

Aye,

Ned Buxton

END OF THE LEASH IN THE RAIN

This morning Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 5:49am I was on the so-called smart end of the leash, standing in the pouring rain with all the accompanying very impressive thunder and lightning whilst a brindle cairn terrier did her business on the front lawn. Now, she didn’t just go into posture - she had to circle around and wander about for what seemed an eternity while she and the smart end of the leash soaked up and reveled in a rain that she and I hadn’t seen in what seemed forever and a day. We returned to the house literally soaked to the bone. We didn’t melt or suffer any untoward malady. We were just shower dripping wet and that was OK. We found joy in those moments and I swear she was smiling…

You see, north Texas hadn’t seen rain in over two months and we are in the middle of a severe, extended drought. We just ended a forty day stretch of 100+ degree days, so far the second hottest summer since they started keeping records. Most nights the temperature here hasn’t dipped below 85 degrees making for a sticky uncomfortable environment and tons of business for the air conditioning companies. The temperature now at 6:15 am is 75° (and falling) - the first time the temperature has dipped below 80° in that same interval.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) via its National Climatic Data Center reports that July 2011 was the hottest July in Texas since the Lone Star State started keeping records back in 1895. The National Weather Service declared that Texas is in its driest ten-month period ever on record with this summer officially usurping 1918 as the second worst drought in Texas history. And if this makes sense, the Texas state climatologist declared this the most severe one-year drought on record in Texas. Only the now infamous drought of 1950-1957 remains the most severe. No wonder Mother moved us all to Rhode Island…

This drought and high temperatures are the primary cause for the massive wildfires that have ravaged much of west and north Texas (over three million acres to date). Texas A&M has conservatively estimated the damage to Texas crops at five billion dollars (US). Our frustration with the weather was seemingly punctuated by tropical storm (TS) Don which gave hope of a National Weather Service forecasted three-plus inches of rain to a parched southeast Texas on July 30. TS Don with its resplendent reds, oranges, yellow on Doppler radar aimed for Corpus Christi on the Texas Gulf coast. Texans rejoiced with hurricane parties in sincere appreciation of Mother Nature’s bounteous offerings.

Now you had to see this to believe it, but when TS Don hit the coast and the entrenched dome of high pressure over Texas, those resplendent Doppler effects within a two and one-half hour period literally fizzled to light greens to – nothing. Texans anticipating a respite from the state's historic drought, while disappointed, could only conjure memories of a good party.

So, the storms that rolled out of Oklahoma during these early morning hours are a Godsend to the drought withered Lone Star State though will only be around for a few more hours before we go back to a regimen of dry 100°+ heat and no rain. But, love it or hate it - that’s Texas…

We wondered why other folks in the neighborhood weren’t dancing in the streets? The current temperature at West Yellowstone is 28° and it’s been snowing at the top of the Beartooths…

Aye,

Ned Buxton