MASS MURDERERS 101

MASS MURDERERS 101 CHO SEUNG-HUI : The shooter at Virginia Tech who killed 32 people and himself was a Korean immigrant with a history of mental problems . His mother , a Christian , believed he was possessed by a demon . Throughout his school years he was thought to have a form of autism by his teachers . He was shunned and made fun of by fellow students for his inability to speak when called on in class . At VA Tech he wrote violent papers that frightened instructors , one threatened to quit if he was not removed from her class . He was accused of stalking by three female students , after campus police talked to him he did not contact the females again . He was interviewed by psychiatrists and mental health experts who recommended that he he be committed to a mental health facility for extended treatment , a judge ruled that he could be treated as an outpatient but he did not show up for treatment . Many students and instructors complained about him but he continued to stay at the school and rarely attended classes . He was able to buy two semi auto pistols and pass a background check because his history of mental illness was not on record . HE DID NOT HAVE AN AR 15 . He made a video that contained threats against President Bush , VP Cheney and Condoleeza Rice . Because of privacy laws , a liberal judge who refused to commit him and a GUN FREE ZONE at VA Tech with no guns on campus except his he was able to go on a rampage that lasted for hours with no one to challenge him . What good are background checks if privacy laws and liberal judges prohibit mentally ill persons being put on record . I could not find find confirmation that he was a Democrat except his hatred of Bush , Cheney and Rice but liberal professors , doctors and judges who allowed him to stay in school share the blame for his murderous rampage .

IN OLD SPLENDORA

Downtown Splendora in 1946 - 1947 had the same layout it has today , it began at the corner of Old Hwy 59 and FM 2090 . On the corner was the service station run by Pud Daw and his brother Cooter . They offered full service gas , windshield cleaning with a real chamois , check oil , tires and requests . The mechanic most of the time was Sidney Davis , father of Mark . Connected to the service station building was the cafe , at that time operated by Bertie Collins , who was one of the best cooks ever in these parts . I have a cook book of her recipes assembled before she died , but I can't make them taste like she did . For a copy contact Alba Coleman or Wanna Thornton or their kids . Two of the waitresses were Alba and Wanna . She served home cooked meals , hamburgers , chili and other cafe staples . Next , approximately where Archies is was the two story frame hotel/boarding house owned by Lee Burrow . Next was a building that had a movie theater operated by Wilbur Lee Burrow . The movies were mostly " B " westerns and Laurel and Hardy films in black and white . One time I remember a Grand Ol' Opry show with Roy Acuff , Minnie Pearl and comedian Rod Brasfield made an appearance there . Next was Lee Burrow's grocery and feed store . It was not usually self service , you came in with your list and gave it to Fred , Lee's brother or his wife Oma ( ? ) . They proceeded to fill your order and put your items in a cardboard box . There were not many cash transactions , most people had an account that they paid when they got paid . Lee did not sell meats , that involved a trip to Cleveland to either Dishongh's or Rhoden's . Most people back then rarely bought meats , they killed their hogs and cured their bacon and hams and salt pork . If they could they raised a steer and took it to a locker plant where it was killed and cut into steaks , roasts and hamburger . A locker plant would package and freeze the meats and keep it in a locker for you since most people did not have a freezer . People who lived along Daw Collins did not have electricity until 1950 . Last of the stores in Splendora was Mr . Sallee's dry goods store , that sold cloth and sundries for sewing . Most ladies made their own dresses and only bought a Sunday Go To Meeting ( Church and funeral ) dress . Flour in 25 and 50 pound bags and some animal feeds came in print cloth sacks . Those made everyday dresses and boy's shirts . Most men wore overalls and khaki or blue work shirts . That was Old Splendora downtown , no police station , no fire station no mayor or city council . If anybody has any pictures from that time please post them .

TALES FROM TALLOW FLAT

THESSE ARE STORIES FROM MY CHILDHOOD UP UNTIL 1994 WHEN THEY WERE PUBLISHED AS A SERIES IN THE HUMBLE SUN . I WAS BORN IN THE AREA KNOWN AS TALLOW FLAT WHICH RUNS ROUGHLY FROM MORGAN CEMETERY RD ALONG DAW COLLINS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF FM 2090 . BEFORE CLEAR CUTTING OF MOST OF THE TIMBER IT WAS THE MAIN DRAINAGE FROM THE HIGHER GROUND WHERE DAW COLLINS AND MORGAN CEMETERY MEET . A FLAT BECAUSE OF THE WATER IS USUALLY FREER OF UNDERBRUSH THAN THE HAMMOCKS ON EITHER SIDE . NOW THEY ARE MOSTLY GONE BECAUSE OF CLEAR CUTTING AND HOMES BEING BUILT . IN MY CHILDHOOD WHEN WE HAD AN ESPECIALLY WET WINTER THE WATER FLOWED DOWN THE FLATS LIKE A RIVER . MOST OF THE TREES THAT GREW IN FLATS WERE PIN OAK OR WATER OAK AND THEY WERE PRIME SQUIRREL HUNTING AND THE BEST DEER STANDS BECAUSE OF THE VISIBILITY . ALSO , THEY WERE THE BEST PLACES TO PICK UP PINE KNOTS FOR KINDLING . PINE KNOTS ARE REMNANTS OF THE HUGE PINES THAT WERE CUT MANY YEARS BEFORE AND AS THE OUTER WOOD ROTTED AWAY THE RICH IN TURPENTINE HEARTS WERE LEFT , ALMOST IMPERVIOUS TO ROT AND A FEW CHIPS OR SPLINTERS WOULD BURN QUICKLY AND HOT TO START THE OAK WOODS USED FOR HEAT QUICKLY . MY DAD WOULD HOOK OL' ALEC , FEATURED IN A COUPLE OF STORIES , TO THE SLIDE AND WE WOULD LOAD IT WITH PINE KNOTS TO HAVE PLENTY OF KINDLING TO START FIRES IN HEATERS AND STOVES . THERE WERE ALSO NATURAL PONDS HWERE DUCKS WOULD FIND AN ABUNDANCE OF ACORNS AND OTHER FOODS , USING THE PONDS AS REST STOPS ON THEIR WAY SOUTH IN THE WINTER . A FEW OF THE PONDS HELD WATER IN HOLES EVEN IN THE DRIEST SUMMERS AND PROVIDED WATER FOR THE LIVESTOCK AND WILD ANIMALS THAT LIVED IN THE WOODS . CLEAR CUTTING OF TIMBER HAS DESTOYED MOST OF THOSE . IN THOSE DAYS THE LAND WAS OWNED BY LARGE TIMBER COMPANIES AND THEY ALLOWED ANYONE TO HUNT , FISH OR JUST WANDER THROUGH THE WOODS AS I DID . AS LONG AS YOU DID NOT DAMAGE PINE TREES , THE MONEY CROP , YOU WERE WELOCOME . DEER HAD BECOME SO FEW THAT IN THE 1930'S DEER HUNTING HAD BEEN CLOSED FOR 20 YEARS . THEY STARTED MAKING A COMEBACK IN THE 1960'S WITH STOCKING AND DEER MOVING NORTH FROM THE GROWING DEVELOPMENT OF KINGWOOD'S 50,000 ACRES . IN THE 1970'S THEY INCREASED TO THE POINT THAT THEY BECAME PESTS FOR CROPS AND THEY STILL ARE TODAY EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE WOODS ARE GONE . I LIVE ON LAND THAT MY GRANDFATHER BOUGHT IN 1911 FOR $ 5.00 AN ACRE . MY GREAT GRANDFATHER COLLINS SETTLED ALONG WHAT IS NOW MORGAN CEMETERY RD IN THE 1870S AND MORGAN CEMETERY IS NAMED AFTER MY MY GREAT AUNT'S HUSBAND ON LAND SHE INHERITED . AT ONE TIME EVERYONE WHO LIVED ALONG THE ROAD AS FAR AS THE CEMETERY WAS RELATED TO ME . WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHY I WANT TO LIVE IN AN AREA THAT IS STILL ISOLATED , 5 MILESS TO THE NEAREST CONVENIENCE STORE , NO CABLE TV , IT IS STILL MOSTLY QUIET AND PEACEFUL AND I LIVE AMONG PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN MY WHOLE LIFE . THIS IS WHERE MY ROOTS ARE AND I AM SURROUNDED BY MEMORIES OF THE PEOPLE I LOVED . I LIVED IN HOUSTON FOR 30 SOME ODD YEARS , I DON'T NEED THAT ANYMORE , I'LL TAKE TALLOW FLAT .

WELCOME

WELCOME TO MY BLOG , SOME POLITTICS , SOME REMINISCING , SOME LAUGHS MAYBE AND MAYBE EVEN A TEAR . I HOPE YOU ENJOY

Hog killing

The deer