Opinion

Officials charged with safekeeping and maintaining order at Times Square in New York City on New Year’s Eve must have been sweating, even if the weather outside was frightful.

The mass of humanity—estimated to number in excess of one million people—surely could have been forgiven had they chosen to celebrate indoors. But, when the role was called up yonder in the “Big Apple,” they were “there.” Critics contend, however, that all were NOT accounted for, nor did they wish to be.

Crude oil and natural gas prices continue to gain strength on news of increased demand.

Oil futures on NYMEX for February delivery closed Wednesday at $63.57 per barrel its highest mark since Dec. 9, 2014.  Natural gas for distribution at Henry Hub in Louisiana closed at $2.906 Wednesday.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that oil inventories declined again last week making it the eighth consecutive week it has reported a drop in inventories.

So far as is known, Hell has not frozen over, but Galveston Bay has. Several times, in fact.

First a little science. As we learned in eighth grade science or earlier, water freezes at 32 degrees. But that’s the temperature at which fresh water starts turning to ice. Salt water, because of its salt content, does not start to freeze until the temperature drops to 28.4 degrees. In other words, for Galveston Bay to freeze, it has to be extremely cold over a sustained period of time.

After reading a recent report which stated that four out of 10 people look inside medicine cabinets when visiting someone’s home, I decided to take a look at what was inside my own cabinets. After all, I’d hate to think that someone got sick from something they stole. 

Although I have two bathrooms; I have a tendency to use both of them. I decided it was time to do a little cleaning. Years ago, when I painted the bathroom, I thought I cleaned the medicine cabinet, but from the looks of it, maybe not.

Crude oil prices stabilized in 2017 reversing a decrease in activity that began in November 2014.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, better known as OPEC, and some other oil producing countries, such as Russia, agreed to cut oil exports by 1.8 million barrels per day (b/d). The decline in exports and a rise in demand worldwide were key factors in reducing crude oil stockpiles, which was a significant factor in prices in the $50 to $60 range.

Roy Holt lived in Texas all his life, served in World War One and possessed a solid education. But in his late 60s, a time of life when many men are content to let things be, he decided to write a booklet spotlighting folks who had said unfavorable things about the Lone Star State.

The result was “So — You Don’t Like Texas,” published by the author (1897-1985) in Copperas Cove in 1965. At this late date, there’s no way to know how well the book did, but at least 14 Texas libraries still hold copies.

They said it in Latin, but the wiser of the ancients realized all glory is fleeting. And often fame never comes.  

The storied trail driving era, when Texas cowboys in the 1870s pushed hundreds of thousands of longhorns to wild and wooly railroad towns in Missouri and later, Kansas, is one of the best known periods in American history. Turkey herding? That early day method of poultry transportation saw way more gobble than glory.

Consider the classic cattle trail song, “Get Along Little Doggies.” Now think how it would sound this way:

It has been almost twenty years since I was in the classroom. Actually, it’s only been seventeen years, but who is counting. I taught thirty years … not one year thirty times. Every year was new.

The admonition--one made by generations--urges others to “get out more often.”

I’ve made such suggestions many times in a spirit of good humor.

The older one gets, however, the more important it is to seriously consider such suggestions. They likely “fit.” As long as folks can “get out,” predictable results include both invigoration and restoration!...

President Trump kicked off his campaign to encourage Congress to begin serious discussions regarding tax reform. 

U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tx.), chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, has been advocating tax reform for more than a year. The proposed changes are outlined in his Tax Blueprint, which included a white paper “A Better Way: Our Vision for a Confident America” issued on June 24, 2016 five months before Donald Trump was elected President.