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A glass bead necklace caught my eye while I was walking around an open-air market with my daughter Kendall. Before inquiring about the necklace Kendall noticed an etched brass cuff with an inspirational message in an unusual font.  Wondering if the artist accepted commissioned work I asked the young women, dressed in 1940’s era clothing, if she would be interested in creating cuffs with my organization’s initials. I handed her my T.F.R.W. business card so she could write down the...

Free speech or freedom to be a whiny, spoiled brat?  Taking a knee or other forms of protesting the National Anthem at football games is a classic example of stupid is as stupid does. Let me be perfectly clear:  I totally understand that there are parts of this country in which it is harder, and in some cases dangerous, to be a black American.  Although this country has come so very far in its quest to be a land of color-blind...

Generally, I use this time and space to tell you what I think about the state of politics in Texas or the nation, but the only thing on my mind these days is the state of the Texas Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. I’ve lived through plenty of hurricanes and tropical storms here in Houston, and I can promise you that there has never been a storm of this magnitude or with this level of destruction, from Rockport...

Hurricane Harvey isn’t over yet but its path of destruction is obvious, and will only get worse. For those of us lucky enough to be spared Mother Nature’s wrath, give thanks. For those who have lost so much, we stand with you. The magnitude of devastation will take months and many resources to make right. Many of our sisters (and brothers) will need a great deal of help to recover. The needs are many but there is a simple way that YOU can...

I had such high hopes back in November of last year…….we had a firm grip on the House, the Senate, and, finally, the White House.  Now, I thought, we can get the important work of this country done.  Little did I know that I was in for a HUGE surprise. Don’t get me wrong, some amazing things have happened in America since President Trump was sworn in, besides Justice Gorsuch being confirmed – the economy has picked up faster than anyone...

On July 4th of each year Americans engage in backyard barbecues, picnics in the town park, parades down Main Street and, always, our celebrations culminate in spectacular fireworks as if to remind us of the “bombs bursting in air”.   Hopefully,  at least some of us still take a moment to reflect on the brave men and women who did the unimaginable: declared colonial independence from the world’s superpower, wagering their lives and all they held dear for the cause of...