This one is mine. I wrote it on the occasion of the first beheading in Iraq. If you are squeamish, read something else as this is fairly graphic for poetry.
Sacrifice
If you have eyes then look
At this slashing of flesh;
Wonder at the rush of life
Gushing around your boots.

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The Rio Grande Guardian reports on a youth-oriented town meeting in Edinburg last Friday and says there are more coming, on April 10 at the Pecan campus of South Texas College and in “late April” in Brownsville. The events are sponsored by a grant from the Margaret Casey Foundation to AVANCE-RGV, a non-profit.
–Stan

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Ah! back where there’s easy access to equipment. It’s a lovely time to visit the nation’s capitol. Witness the following:

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loyal readers, for not posting for a day or two. Business in the falling days of the conference extended itself into the nighttime hours. Yes, it was schmoozing over dinner that turned into three and four hour conversations, but sometimes that’s the best way to find those ideas and compromises (I was just talking about) [...]

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The Brownsville Herald ran a very good commentary this morning on Mayor Pat Ahumada’s latest proposal to kindly take over the Economic Development Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau pointing out a number of faults in the idea: that this kind of lumping together under one hand makes the agencies more [...]

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Here we go into the transportation system. You commit yourself to a host of strangers from the security folks to the cab drivers and ticketing agents and pilots and flight attendants. And if you’re lucky and on your best behavior and none of the aforementioned folks are having what they call a bad day and [...]

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It’s been a trial, in some part. I commented to one of the dragons (smokers) in front of the Hyatt Hotel where the conference has been held, that the world’s problems all devolve from the fact that everything’s run by the early birds and the eager beavers. But you’ve got to be there to at [...]

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Today I have spent sitting, sitting, sitting. This is what one must expect at a national conference, I suppose.
On the other hand, I have learned some things about the finance systems at Planned Parenthood. Or should I say, I have learned what I need to learn to be effective as a board member with fiduciary [...]

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The first thing noticed coming out the door of the Reagan National Airport to wait on that fabled shuttle from the Holiday Inn was the row of cherry trees blooming on the bank opposite under the Metro platform. The cherry in my grandfather’s yard blossomed white. These were a dark pink, heading towards vermillion.
So, off [...]

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Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival (VIPF)
Sponsored by
City of San Benito, Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center, McAllen Chamber of Commerce, El Zarape Press, El Peregrino Magazine
Thursday, Apr. 24
Anthology Release Reception, Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival
7 to 9 p.m.
McAllen Chamber of Commerce, 1200 Ash Ave., McAllen
Free admission, open to the public
www.elzarapepress.com/vipf.html

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For reasons that nearly escape me (except that I’m the retired guy), I’ve been selected to represent our local Planned Parenthood affiliate at the national convention, so I’ll be gone from Tuesday to Sunday this week. I’m taking my little laptop with me, but my experience is that these folks keep one busy, so [...]

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Reader Patricia A., who knows something of my secret past and identity, sent a link to this article on Gigglepants, a UT/Austin comedy troupe. Right on, Sister Patricia A., right on.
–stan

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A while back, reader Patricia A. wondered why the City of Brownsville had a public information officer but information requests were channeled through the city secretary’s office. The answer, it seems, is that we don’t have a public information officer. At some point, Bill Young’s position was retitled Community Relations Officer, or so it [...]

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Take a Listen.
I don’t know why Obama would want to apologize for listening to this. It’s an excellent sermon and an excellent response to the event of the week, the 9-11 attacks. If you’ve been forming your opinion of Jeremiah Wright based on the sound bites and quotes in the media, well, as Ronald Reagan [...]

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This conclusion comes on the realization that I am actually talking to myself here. During the last week, there was one unique visitor to NunnaYerBizness.com. Me. So much for my war on solipsism. Of course, in a war on solipsism, no matter how it comes out, I win. It’s either the joy of being the [...]

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Here’s a view of the rebuilt lane on Pablo Kisel a few yards south of Drainage Ditch Number One where the street expands to four lanes. The repair continues to Morrison Road, a distance close to half a mile and included a considerable stretch of replaced curbing as well.

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I received a call from Liza Valdez (or Vega, the email uses both) of the City Secretary’s office today asking me to clarify my e-mail address so she could send me the material she had received from Public Works. I was astounded to hear it was a single memo, a Word document, which I [...]

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I guess getting a complex organization to divulge some information is more than an all day job. Don’t only bring your lunch, but bring the chuck wagon and a blanket roll or two.
Today’s calls disclosed that 1) Juan, the fellow who I talked to Monday who said he would call me Tuesday, turned out to [...]

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Returns tonight at 9:00 p.m.
There was excellent music at Shenanigans tonight (I’m just in from there). Trumpeter Jeff Lofton jammed with Clay Moore on guitar, Dr. Matt Johnson on bass, and Mike Trenfield on drums. Good stuff, too. The Tomas Ramirez joined for the last set and added his lively touch.
Lofton is “old school,” [...]

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I suppose there is something magic about first and third Tuesdays as far as choices for meetings dates go. I remember several times with school organizations and then again with a dance club, the first suggestions for meeting dates was exactly that, first and third Tuesdays. Tuesday doesn’t conflict with the Wednesday-is-for-church rule (seriously, this [...]

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I’ve got to keep better track of these things, but it seems as though it’s been a month or so since I made a request for information about the repair costs and agreements on the construction of Pablo Kisel Boulevard.
But a call today to the City Secretary’s office found that, no, there was no report. [...]

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Oh, wait. Gene was back in the saddle again. Nevertheless, here we are, returned from many meanderings over the last month: New Castle, Indiana twice once by road, once by air; Dallas by air; San Antonio by road (and beating the frequent flyers there, too). And more is to come–back to Dallas in a couple [...]

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Thanks to the many people who sent condolences on my father’s death. Kathy and I traveled Monday to Indiana to attend his funeral on Thurday. I visited cousins I hadn’t seen in years. My oldest, estranged son Geoffrey appeared after a twenty year absence. My parent’s home housed what became a raucous wake, and [...]

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John Howard Raines, Sr., “Howard” to most, died early Saturday morning, March 8, 2008 at the Henry County Hospital in New Castle, Indiana.
Services will be held at the Macer-Hall Funeral Home, 600 S. Main St., with visitation on Tuesday and ceremonies on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 1:30 under the direction of the Reverend Charles [...]

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Mom called a little before two o’clock this morning to let us know that Dad had died. I hope he has found peace.

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