From the Creaux's Nest

AS IT IS NOV. 2012

Another week rolls around, my thoughts are still on the national election and how a local public servant was victimized.

First, back when gas prices were $3.89 a gallon, I said the price would be down to $3 by Election Day.

I missed by five days.

I paid $2.97 on Saturday and Monday it’s down to $2.92.

I did alright on my other predictions, a lot better than Karl Rove and Dick Morris, who predicted a landslide for Romney with a popular vote and 325 Electoral votes.

I predicted Obama would get 294 votes.

He ended up with 332.

Only FDR and Reagan did better, with 335.

Romney also got 2.8 million less popular votes than Sen.

McCain.

Obama carried every swing state.

You won’t hear it on talk radio or FOX News, but folks, that’s a landslide, a clear mandate.

My prediction was that the Democrats would add one or two seats to their Senate majority.

They did, and also picked up two Independents that give them a 55-45 voting majority in the Senate.

I said Demos would pick up six to eight seats in the Congress and they picked up seven and still counting.

Can’t get any closer than that.

Meanwhile, Karl Rove and other Super Pacs were lying to their large contributors.

Karl’s two Super Pacs, Crossroads, raised over $300 billion from wealthy donors.

He lied to them about Ohio.

He knew they would lose Ohio. Karl, for his part, for managing the Super Pacs, netted five percent, that’s better than $15 million profit.

Rush Limbaugh and the rest are in it for the money also, and bashing the opposition is how the money keeps coming.

Karl invested in eight senate seats, won one and three congressional seats, which included Eric Canter.

Not much to show for $1 billion that all the Super Pacs spent.

Talk radio and FOX, today really have creditability problems but as long as we have gullible people buying that spin, they will keep getting richer.

I can’t imagine people wasting their time listening to talk radio or buying into Roger Ailes lie that FOX News is “Fair and Balanced,” or the spin stopping on the O’Reilly show.

The GOP will have to realize that the talking heads and an obstructionist congress have hurt their brand.

Extremist on the far right or far left catches up in the long run and instead of building, it tears down.

You can misrepresent just so long before it backfires.

I’ve got issues to take up so I best move on.

Come along it won’t do you no harm.

CONGRESS MUST PUT UP ON FISCAL CLIFF

The election is history but now hanging over markets and the nation is the unresolved fiscal crisis.

The stock market action will now center on the fiscal cliff.

It means more than $600 billion drag on the economy due to tax increases and government spending cuts due to kick in on Jan. 1 unless the House and Senate act to avert it.

Republican and Democrats must reach a compromise to stop the economic fallout.

Both sides of the political aisle will have to deal with the upcoming cliff.

Wall Street is urging the president and congress to act as soon as possible to get the country’s financial house in order.

The economy and market hangs on the resolution of the fiscal cliff.

Until now, the White House hasn’t had any co-operation from the Republican led Congress.

House Speaker Boehner and Senate leader Harry Reid, after Obama’s re-election, both vowed to work towards the cliff issue.

The problem in the past was that the speaker couldn’t control the extreme right of his congress, lead by Eric Canter and Paul Ryan.

They have blocked all agreements Boehner had reached, rejected everyone.

If the country goes over the cliff, the congress will be blamed in the midterm elections.

A good thing about going over the cliff is that it will wipe out all of the Republican pledges to Grover Norquist, letting them off the hook.

However, going over the cliff is a big price for the country to pay.

An agreement, months after the new congress, with everything retroactive, would put the country back on a level keel.

Time will tell.

Talk radio, FOX News, and other extremist are urging congress not to work with the president.

A divided nation is their resolve.

A headline in Thursday’s Houston Chronicle reads, “Cruz says he won’t cooperate with Obama.” That shows the extremities of the Tea Party he represents.

If the country goes over the cliff it will affect every American and the congress will get blamed.

The President will be free to campaign in every state in the mid-term elections.

Mid-term is notorious for overturning congress.

I suspect they will blink when their own future is on the line.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

Nine Years Ago-2003

Orange County Navy veteran ‘Eddie’ Parks marries Marine Lance Cpl.

Jennifer ‘Jenn’ Patterson, from Michigan.

Eddie’s parents are Becky and Floyd Parks of Orangefield.

A yellow ribbon, wrapped around a front yard tree, was placed there when the couple left for Kuwait.

It stayed until they returned.

Cutting the yellow ribbon was the first order of business for the wedding.

(Editor’s note: The Parks story was a Veterans Day story, written by Jerry Childress.

I hope the couple is still together; maybe some little ones have come along.

As for Jerry, I don’t know what became of him.)*****Big deal was held at College Station on Friday, Nov. 17 when Sen.

Edward ‘Ted’ Kennedy was honored with the George H. Bush award for Excellence in Public Service.

The former president presented the award, a special crystal sculpture and $20,000.

The ceremonies were held at the Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Texas A&M. Attending were Ted’s wife, Victoria, four of five children, niece Carolyn, sisters Pat Lawford and Eunice Shriver and Ethel Kennedy, sister-in-law.

A big deal for Central Texas.

*****The Orangefield Bobcats of Coach Flannigan head to playoffs.

The Bobcats will host the game.

Liberty beat Orangefield 14-10 in last years 3-A playoffs.

*****Another heart breaking year for coach Hooks and his Mustangs.

Over the past two years their record is 16-4.

Losing two games each season, yet they didn’t make the playoffs.

Ozen kicked a field goal beating PNG. The kick put WO-S in the playoffs but the winning field goal was ruled to have been kicked one second after time ran out, knocking WO-S out of the playoffs.

In the next year, WO-S, with 884 students, will drop down to 3-A. Hooks will be looking for another try for state championship.

(Editor’s note: I recall when the toughest 3-A District in the state had West Orange-Stark, Bridge City, Little Cypress-Mauriceville, Silsbee, jasper and South Park in it.)*****Eight year old Brandi Payne will be competing in Houston for a motor cross championship.

Van Choate, at his Cajun Cookery, is cooking in front of his place and will donate the proceeds to help with Brandi’s expenses.

Seen at Van’s were Gene and Flo Edgerly, Sharon Dunn and a dozen family members, also Reagan Dugas, Rev. Leo Anderson and a house full of folks.*****Robert will be opening his new restaurant next week in Pinehurst.

The steak house will feature fresh cut steaks from Robert’s Meat Market. (Editor’s note: Hard to believe that has been nine years already.

That also means that Thad Angelle is nine years older this week.)

39 Years Ago-1973

Bridge City football Coach H.W. “Chief” Wilson banked on brother-like seniors this season.

The majority of senior Cardinals have been playing together 10 years, starting with the PeeWee League in the junior football program.

One senior said, “I don’t remember before we started playing together.” another said, “We are like brothers.” Seniors are Kenny Brown, Mark Truncle, Bo Worrell, Terry Bridgers, John Clinton, Steve Trevino, Jimmy Lacomb, Steve Culp, Lanston Fall, Chuck Majors, Clint Belk, Jimmy Talbert, David Guidry, Mark Flanagan, Craig Turner, Mark Dunn, Darrell Melancon and David Smith.

(Editor’s note: The 1973 team was Coach Wilson’s last team to coach.

He won a state championship in 1966 and played in a championship game in 1965.

The ‘73 team was his best since those two teams.*****Seniors at Little Cypress-Mauriceville under Coach Jim Crossland are Mike Watts, Robert Dunn, Robert Jacobs, David McKinley, George Harmon, Tommy Barrett, Gary Wilson, Ted Seago, Danny Halliburton, Tab Finchum, Larry Lunsford, Benny Woodcock, Jerry Person, Don McClain, Jimmy Reaves, Chris Tiger, Scott Morrison, Robert Mandy and Tommy Martin. (Editor’s note: Coach Crossland, for 20 years, after coaching, was a car dealer, with two dealerships in Oklahoma.

He later sold them and retired.)*****Corky Harmon, sales manager and owner at Harmon Chevrolet, depends on top staff to move new cars.

Bob Jones, Joe Williamson, Homer Flanagan and Joe Powell make up the all-star team.*****At a fund-raising auction at Bill Williams’ Restaurant in Houston last week, a bed used at the famed “chicken Ranch.” brought $3,000.

It was estimated that the bed had earned over a million dollars.

All Edgar Brown sold was a jackass for $1,500.*****Laverne Ridley has obtained her real estate broker’s license and will be opening an agency in Bridge City.*****Leland Marrow and Fain Holbrook have just returned from Las Vegas.*****Bill Clark wrecks his Caddy at the Rainbow Bridge.*****The twirlers at Bridge City High are Tracy Stout, Jonell Chauvin, Debbie Newson, Sharon Primeaux, Sharon Clark, Melanie McClain, Mary Henderson and Debbie Voohries.*****Bill Townes is store manager at Kroger’s in Orange.*****Annie Hargrave makes great candy.

She made a big box full that she sent to Tommy Segura, Miss Ann’s little boy, who is stationed overseas.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK

Ruby Wimberley, Kristina Schisler, Lauren Fruge, Ella Jo Gosset, Lauren Peet, Traci Birmingham, Mary Dixon, Pat Gifford, Susie Riedel, Vicci Milligan, Anna Cappandona, Casey Smith, Dana Perkins, Fred Fuselier, Hattie Arnold, Judie Wilson, Julian Oceguera, Cynthia Graham, Julie Smith, Glenda Dixon, Stuart Bertles, Kelli Peery, Lindsey Franklin, Nikki Courtney, Shane Preston, Travis Sheppard, Wade Barron, Wally Sieck, Carol Izer, Chris Ford, Cora Betzen, Elton Myers, Madison Miller, Marie Richard, Clarissa Cortez, Amaris Brown, Allene Manuel, Servet Satir, Mary Loyd, Pete Gresham, Rebecca Collins, Thad Angelle, Bryson McFarland, Chris Byers, RaeAnna Todora, Dwayne Duncan, Dyanna Sandlin, Martha Foley, Laurie Kosh, Nancy Aycock, Patsy Brister, Reba Eddins, Barbara Briggs, Barbara Musser, Chuck Kirby, Katy Taylor, Kenneth Haas, Theresa Evans, Lyndsie Neie, Melanie Claybar, Bryan Garrett, Leroy Gomez, Mickey Smith, Sam Thomas, Tim Bayliss, Aimee Huckabay, Celeste Hart, James Cornell, Kevin LeCourtere, Jonathan Vogt, Justin McCullough, Stephanie Williams, Kristina Denman, Meagan McGill, Linda Klein, Liz Harris, Patty Burke, Shelly Ford, Trina Stringer, Veronica Smith, Ann Miller, Ben Carpenter, Cecil Allen, Brandon Swarers, Charles Cagle, John Moore, Joe Permar, Murray Moreland, Edgar Eschbach, Kevin Phillips, Sunni Oceguera, Hayden Clark, Whitney Mott, Allen Dunn, Jan Briggs, Jesse Evans, Lon Hubbard and Rose Powell.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

This year the United States is set to achieve its highest level of energy independence in more than 20 years, amid booming oil shale output in North Dakota and Texas.

Demands for OPEC‘s crude will decline through 2016.

Shale oil represents a large change to the supply picture.

The U.S. is producing more domestic oil than ever, while jobs have increased in the oil industry.

*****The Texas Aggies shocked number one Alabama in their own Tuscaloosa house.

The 29-14 A&M win was no fluke, upset maybe.

District Attorney John Kimbrough put it best Friday night when he said, “Don‘t be surprised if A&M wins, adding that today, the talent in college football is more balanced and equal on any given day one team can beat the other.” That‘s paraphrased what John said but his point was that a big win today in major college might be an upset by the odd makers but not a fluke.

We can expect more so called upsets.

Texas picked a good year not to be playing A&M in the annual turkey day game.

A&M‘s Johnny Manziel is the best freshman in the country.

The question is will the voters be reluctant to give the Heisman to a freshman? *****Native son Wade Phillips and his Texan defense stepped up to the challenge, in fact, they overshadowed the Texan offense.

Houston withstood a cold and rainy day in Soldier Field to come away with a 13-6 win over the Chicago Bears.

The Texans are for real.

Thanks to Orange native Phillips, the Texans went from worst defense to best since his arrival.*****Bridge City native Matt Bryant and the Atlanta Falcons came up short against the New Orleans Saints in a 31-17 loss.

Matt made two field goals and three extra points in the Falcons first loss.

*****Thanks to the Dallas defense the Cowboys stopped the Eagles 38-23.

The Cowboy defense was responsible for three touchdowns.

*****Congratulants to the Bridge City Cardinals and West Orange -Stark Mustangs, both headed to the playoffs.*****Congrats also to Jeff Matthews, Beaver and the Vidor Pirate coaching staff on making it to the playoffs.

Good luck to all the area teams.*****Misty Songe and the gang at Verizon Wireless, in Bridge City, are holding a big customer appreciation day on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

Free Smart phones, modems and home phones plus 20 percent off all accessories.

Here‘s the big kicker, something you don‘t want to miss, free food prepared by Van Choate and his Hush Puppy Express.

There will be plenty of food so come join the fun and meet Misty and her gang and welcome them to Bridge City.

See you there.

*****A few folks we know who are celebrating their special day in the coming week.

First, a longtime friend, who is very smart and a real class act.

Ruby Wimberly marks another birthday Nov. 14.

We wish her and Jerry much happiness in the years ahead.

***Other special ladies celebrating Nov. 14 are Pat Kibbie Gifford and Susie Riedel.

Celebrating Nov. 15 are Julian Oceguera, Julie Smith, Glenda Dixon, Travis Sheppard, and Carol Izek.***On Nov. 16, Thad Angelle, Bridge City native and now one of the wheels at MTC Credit Union.***Rae Anna Todora also celebrates on this day.***Getting older on Nov. 17 are Reba Eddins, longtime school employee, Kenneth Hass, longtime husband of Phyllis Guidry Hass.***Celebrating Nov. 18 are Aimee Huckabay, Melanie Claybar and Stephanie Williams.***Linda Klein, Liz Harris, Trina Stringer, Cecil Allen and Charles Cagle all celebrate on Nov. 19.***Nov. 20 is the big day for some special characters.

First is Dot’s little boy, a good guy Edgar Eschbach.

***A lovely lady Sunni Oceguera.

***Lon Hubbard, what can I say, to know him is to like him.

He’s done his daddy Bubba proud as a gentleman, husband, father and friend.

***Last but not least is a very special guy, one who always does to ride the range with, someone who will watch your back.

Happy birthday to Allen Dunn and all of the above.

Please see complete birthday list.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

Da college in Lafayette was holding a free group therapy session. Da psychiatrist was conducting da session wit some young mothers and dere small chilun. Da doctor him, observed, after looking at da paper dat dey had filled out,

“You all have obseccesions,” he said. “First Agnes Boudreaux, you are obsessed wit eating, you even named you little daughter Candy.” To da second mother Ella Comeaux he said, Ms. Comeaux, your obseccion is money. Again it manifests itself in your child’s name, Penny.”

At dis point da turd mother, Ula Mae Thibodaux, got up, took her little boy by his little hand and whispered, “come on little Peter, let’s go home.”

C’EST TOUT

No small achievement for the Obama Administration is that they have positioned the United States to be the world’s number one oil producer in the next eight years, when they will surpass Saudi Arabia.

The threat to green energy will put big oil in high gear.

*****No! Not Elmo! Sesame Street announced that Kevin Clash, Elmo puppeteer, was taking a leave of absence in the wake of allegations that he had a relationship with a 16 year old boy.

In a later announcement it was reported that the 16-year-old had recanted his statement.*****The flesh is weak and Gen.

David Petraeus found a high number to get weak with.

Paula Broadwell may not be a “10” but I can see his temptation.

The problem is that he had two good lookers competing for his affection.

Four months ago, when he found out Paula was threatening Tampa socialite, Jill Kelly, he broke off the relationship.

Too late.

Jill had let the cat out of the bag and burned them with the FBI. My guess is that nothing will become of what is a simple affair.

It happens daily around the world.

The country is the loser.

Gen.

Petraeus is one of the top military brains since Gen.

Omar Bradly.

He just let the flesh overcome the brain.

*****Idiots are born every day and some sign secession petitions.*****You don’t have to be a financial wizard to figure out when business is good or getting better.

A wise old man told me years ago, if the jukebox in a joint has money in it, business is good.

If there’s no money in the box, business is bad.

Simply apply the same principle to sale tax returns to local municipalities.

Our receipts have been climbing steadily over the past year.

My prediction is steady growth and prosperity over the next four years, with 16 to 18 million new jobs.*****Special thanks to Capt.

Chuck Uzzle for the birds.

I’ll remember him when I sip that gumbo.****First I’m going to Paul’s Seafood Restaurant and eat a load of oysters and other goodies.

He’s located at Hwy.

12 at Hwy.

1442, a couple of miles from Mauriceville Circle towards Vidor.

Tell ‘um we sent you, they’ll treat you right.*****Debby wrote a goodbye story on Judge Pat Clark.

What a guy.

It’s been a great ride for a Riverside, catholic boy.

Thanks judge, for all your service, your friendship and never changing.

I take back nothing, good or bad I’ve said about you.

Best wishes to you and Rosalie.*****Roy has written a Down Life’s Highway column about the history of straight party voting and it’s probable damaging effects.

How Commissioner John Dubose, a longtime friend, was victimized by the practice.

Not a reflection on John but rather on Obama and his administration.

Thanks for your time.

Take care and God bless.