A Pair of Simple Pictures Sent from Our Quinta Tesoro de la Sierra Madre - edited with additions

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    This morning our neighbour, the owner of the Hacienda de la Vega, the operation immediately contiguous to the Quinta's property and Alvaro, our majordomo, conspired to send my boss here in Texas a Mother's Day gift.  We include it below:

It should be pointed out that the greenery in front of this

picture immediately above is albacar (basil) and is about

ready for transplanting into a bed we have been preparing.

    While I am quick to take credit and to assign blame, it must be admitted that this project is Alvaro's and it is done, pretty much, in order to shame the women of our Ejido de Francisco I. Madero (in a good humoured way).....who pass by the Quinta with some frequency to see if their flowering arrangements are attracting as many hummingbirds as are our semi-disciplined gardens.

     We have, to be sure, become pretty fair "combat gardeners", with the justification being a supply of limes, grapefruit, avocados, guayabas, edible cactus, and spices.   Our efforts are principally directed to attracting birds, especially hummingbirds.  And as I am quick to say, "What they do not eat...we eat."

     Please enjoy.  We have (Alvaro has) nine "masetas" (terra cotta flower pots) with these lilies, related to the Turkestan Onion, I believe, and locally called "Pirotecnico" or "Explosion" (Fireworks or Explosion). 

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY TO ALL.   Diana received hers via cybermail.   And I do the cooking when I am up here.   I just let Diana do all the work.

El Gringo Viejo

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Be careful when you wish for something

     Not long ago, during the time of massive celebrations for my birthday  (the Pope had to land in Corpus Christi because the airports in McAllen and Harlingen...even Reynosa...had run out of space for all the arriving dignitaries), I had asked my family to consider as appropriate gifts, considering the magnitude of my importance, for either a fully restored Karmann Ghia Volkswagen, 1973 model, in either red or white.  

     Barring that, I indicated that a back-up power plant for the Quinta Tesoro de la Sierra Madre would be appreciated.  I even indicated that it would not be held against anybody if they got together and bought both of those relatively humble gifts.

Red and White Karmann Ghia

     Apparently there was a minor failure in communication.  Only one of my relatives sent anything.   It was a Karmann Ghia Volkswagen, but instead of red or white, it came in red and white.   Perhaps I should be more specific in the future, because I know they really want to give the  old geezer everything he wants.   Does anyone know the number for 911?  I'm toying with an elder-abuse complaint.....  

     At least my children were good enough to provide me with a new home, and my own personal ball and chain.  Perhaps I should really give thanks for the many blessings that I have.  To-morrow they are going take me out to eat.....I think it's breakfast at a donut place....something about Dunking.....

More later.

El Gringo Viejo

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Comey - Democrat Schizophrenic Syndrome: The new norm in American politics

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     The issues circulating around the Comey firing make a bit of sense.  The head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made an announcement during the past Summer, a rather long and rambling statement actually, that left the viewers and listeners a bit subdued and confused.    On the one hand he painted up a picture of a thoroughly corrupt, arrogant, narcissistic personality who continued in her new office as Secretary of State very much as she had during her life since Wellesley.   And, on the other hand, he declared that there was no way she could be prosecuted.

     The immediate past Director of the FBI informed the American public that he had determined that no reasonable prosecutor would take the case of the ex-Secretary and then candidate for the Presidency of the United States because the transgressions she had committed, all the laws she had broken, all the rules she had shattered by her hubris did not reveal "an intent" to break the law.  It did display poor judgement and gross mismanagement, but not criminality, so therefore, according to James Comey, no prosecutor would prosecute, no grand jury would find, no judge would permit any process against that poor woman.  In other words, Comey became not only the Director of the FBI but also a Special Prosecutor and Grand Jury in and unto himself.

     Why did the Director of the FBI give a "no-bill" to HRH-HR concerning her obviously felonious behaviour?  Perhaps he forgot the two main axioms concerning legal proceedings against the Clintons Crime Syndicate.

      (a)    No crime committed in the past can be prosecuted against the Clintons.  Only crimes that have not been committed and that occur in the future can be prosecuted.

      (b)     The Fort Marcy Park Award for Participation Trophy

     One minor problem on the way to the shopping centre:   FBI Directors do not determine whom or what should be prosecuted.  Special prosecutors and Federal District Attorneys determine whom and why to prosecute. 

     "Progressives", conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Left, and Right were stunned.   No orange jump-suit.   No songs on Rush's show about "Try to Remember".  And, equally, no snotty nose-in-the-air statements about how HRH-HR was "vindicated".   After all, they could point out, she did kill Ovambo Bon Alibaba and she did catch that horrible person who made all those pornographic videos about Mohammed.   Just think of all those miles she flew! 

(please simply click on the Youtube screen face for 'free song')

     The former first lady, US Senator from New York, Secretary of State, and now soon to be nominee of the Partido Revolucionario del los Pobres y los Elites got back onto her magic skate-board, and figured that she was ready to have a fitting session with Gucci concerning how many diamonds, emeralds, and other jewels  were to be fixed into her platinum crown.

     Then, suddenly, without even receiving previous  permission from HRH-HR, the head of the FBI comes forward, without announcement, and says that he has reason to re-open the case of her various supposed transgressions against the sensibilities of the law.   It is less than two weeks before the General National Elections.

   

   The Director of the FBI interjects himself to say that he is re-openning the case of HRH - HR, her body-man HUMA, and that the case now included Carlos Danger, who is under investigation for attempting to lure minor females (ages 13 - 15) into acts of a lewd and lascivious nature.   It is a return to his previous predatory activities conducted under the pseudonym of United States Representative from New York, Anthony Wiener (D - NY).   It turns out that Carlos Danger has HUMA's transmission  of HRH's  Secret service e-mail system that have not suffered being beaten with hammers and Clorox on his private lap-top.   These, of course,  would have been serious felonies were they to have been  committed by a Deplorable.

      A person really cannot make this stuff up.

     During these days, because of a couple of  fellows,  Julian Assange and Bradley Manning, are dumping, or assisting in some way, with the flow of information ostensibly from Russia concerning activities of the Obama White House and the activities of the US Department of State, the Clinton Foundation, and all nature of "The Swamp"personalities and issues.
     Finally, during the remainder of the campaign period and then culminating on the night of the election, 8 November 2016, HRH-HR carries the Peoples' Republic of California three times over, but manages to lose the rest of the United States.  From that time until this, Trump derangement syndrome and Democrat Schizophrenic Syndrome have swept a significant portion of the electorate.

     EXAMPLE?  -  United State Representative Maxine Waters (D - California) says that Trump should be impeached for firing Comey.  When asked if HRH-HR would be guilty of an impeachable offense should she have, after being elected, fired Comey....the Honourable Mdm. Maxine declares that HRH-HR would have been justified, whereas Trump was not justified in his dismissal of the Director Mr. Comey. 
     The fact is, everyone wanted to boot Comey.  The exception?  A minority of barnacle-like bureaucrat FBI employees who enjoyed the lethargy, the malingering, the sense of self-importance of carrying a real live policeman's badge and drawing a salary about equal to the gross national product of  one-tenth of the world's poorest countries.
     Another two-thirds of the body of employees really had little or no use for Director Comey and his weepy, self-reflectonalysis of himself, and his trials with the messes created by dogs and politicians who commit hundreds upon thousands of felonies and yet "need" to skate.  Perhaps "stuff" should be made of sterner ambition.
     During Mr. Comey's tenure,  he was careful to avoid conducting very necessary investigations of the Internal Revenue Service division of the Department of Treasury,   the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives division of the Department of Justice.   And in so doing he planted that fateful seed that reap't the whirlwind.

Bali Hai

     We are living in precarious times.   The Citizens' Committees are just a few block away, straightening the cast-posts of the guillotines.   All who pay taxes need to find places where the lighter boats can pick us up along the coasts during the nighttime hours and take us to Bali Hai (or equivalent).

More later.
El Gringo Viejo

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An open letter to the one intellectual Radio Station in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.....

Sergio, 

     We have been listening to the Brietbart Report with considerable interest.  I tune you all in down at my place outside of Ciudad Victoria....and can generally pick up Rush, etc. during the day without much difficulty.  You are familiar with me because occasionally I have tried to report some of my own impressions about what is going on down there, using you as my table of reference.

     First (and I think you already know this), the word Casino (or casino) when you were a child in Reynosa was meant to be a "fine house" (in the Italian, passing into the Spanish) and had reference, in Northern Mexico especially, as a salon of celebration....to be engaged for a reception (weddings, wakes, anniversaries, etc).   They were not gambling and schmoozing places as they are now configured.  Two of the really elegant old Casinos, of course, are (1) the Gran Casino adjacent to the Cathedral in downtown-most Monterrey, Nuevo Leon and also (2) a smaller but very elegant place built during the Porfiriato (1888) in Linares, Nuevo Leon.  Both are still very much in service....for the "Uppers" and their celebrations.

     The problem is that the cucarachas and people of lower order and intent have purloined the word "Casino" rather much as have the porno-purveyors who style a hoochi-coochi, topless dancer saloon as a "gentlemen's club".   You have seen the opening scenes from Around the World in 80 Days, when David Niven is found at a stuffy, staid, heavy furniture, 1 pound sterling cigars, and butlers, and absolute quiet and dignified encounter and debate...etc.etc.  That is a gentlemen's club, as you know.

     You might be waiting for me to take objection to your reporter from Brietbart, but there is no real objection.  He is accurate in terms of tactics and his analysis of the overall picture, including the "power response" to this new episode of violence.   I have certain very small differences and slightly different sociological angles and a bit of a different place from which to view the situation in Tamaulipas.

     My reason for writing is to declare that Francisco Xavier Garcia Cabeza de Vaca has been extremely "hands-on"  concerning this pandilla / cartel thing.  It is a dangerous thing that he is doing, but he is doing it anyway.   My little place, the Quinta Tesoro de la Sierra Madre, is about 22 miles north-northwest of Ciudad Victoria.   The Governor's influence has shown beginning immediately after his inauguration.  The little secondary highway that connects our place with the capital of the State of Tamaulipas underwent a complete renovation.....almost 40 kilometers (25 miles) of a little country lane with a total traffic count of well below 1,000 for 24 hours.....and now the highway has been brought up to nearly Texas standards.

Francisco Javier Cabeza de Vaca

     For the first time in five years, we have had a State Police patrol come through the Ejido Francisco I. Madero.  We even had an officer come to our front gate....arriving in a convoy of three partially armoured  conversion pick-ups, smartly maintained, two with rear-mounted, belt-fed machine guns.   There were 12 deputies in helmets and military style garb.  He came up to my gate and asked about the whereabouts of  Person X.   That person had an arrest warrant pending, and I had to admit that I did not know the formal names of many of the people in our little community.  Our manager came up and suggested that he might know the lady and gave the officer directions to a probable place of residence.  The lead-officer seemed appreciative, ordered his personnel to retrace and off they went.  It turns out they were serving two civil court notices and two criminal warrants.   It has been a long while since we have seen that activity out here,  "in the middle of Nowhere".

     Finally, it is easy to hear the people who complain.  But the proof of my words are the facts that I have people coming to my place for the "day - trip" and the "parrillada"  for which we are famous during the week-ends.   This activity dried up from 2011 - 2015.   Now it necessary for people to make reservations two or three weeks in advance.   I have even had Mexican clients spending the required three nights minimum...and milling around in our remote area at all hours, for the first time in the past  four years.    Also, consider that my neighbours, the owners of the Hacienda de la Vega have invested 22,000,000 pesos  (a little over 1,000,000 American dollars), during the past year replanting their hacienda (finca) with an exotic type of lime, where once they had produced Valencia Oranges (those trees were 80 years old, and very tired).  This has been going on since the degradations of the Gulf and Zeta groups several years back.  They (the 'cartels') have never truly recovered.  It is one of the reasons we had so many CentroAmericanos come up the year before last, because they could come up by bus without having to deal with the cartels or even the police.  Now they are not coming up because of Trump.

     The purpose of all of this overload of words,  is simply to point out that I speak with  the "la gente" in an area that is / was in the "mera panza de la bestia"  and the people still have their "cuernos" (Cabeza de Vaca) decals on their vehicles, and house windows, and fences.  My last conversation there was with Alvaro and me having shrimp cocktails at Dona Modesta's Seafood Parlour at the Estacion de Santa Engracia.  Everyone there was 110% agreement amongst all that Garcia - Cabeza de Vaca was doing everything a governor can do and even more.  It is forgiven that he might be overweighting the deployment of military might into Reynosa, because as they say, "He comes from McAllen."   But we must remember.....Reynosa is the largest city in Tamaulipas.   The Governor is as popular as Pena-Nieto is unpopular.   That is my reading....confused by the fact that I actually am a resident there, a property owner there, and the extension of a family that has had a commercial and social presence in Mexico since the 1880s.    And yes, perhaps because I am a Republican and the Partido de Accion Nacional in Mexico is the correlative of the Republican Party of the United States, perhaps I am disposed to support my first-cousin in politics.   But, in this matter,  I am sure and certain.

(Please click on the first linkage in blue to visit our little place on the banks of the Rio Corona.   For right-wing, semi-deranged commentary and analysis of Mexican, Texian, and American history and other matters, click onto the privatouring.blogspot.com linkage.)

EL GRINGO VIEJO

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Pointlessness of Euro-elections....and press coverage of them

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     It is only an observation, but perhaps salient, that there is really no reason for the hollow shells of nations to have elections any longer.  Perhaps there might be some reason for very local elections, but for the "European Community" and its notion concerning a common market and culture connectively communicating from Sweden to Turkey, and Spain to Finland, is patently silly, elitist, and the final extension of the Utopia of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei.    Why let a silly thing such as the inevitable failure of any socialist - elitist national construct stand in the way?

     All the nations of Europe determined long ago to either lead the royalty and aristocracy to the guillotine or allow them to sit upon thrones made of Bakelite (polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride).  Military people and industrialists and professional professors (many with aristocratic backgrounds) knew how to arrange the Rubik's Cube of Europe in a much better way.

     After World War II, and five or ten score million dead people later, Red China and Russia and Europe had all pretty much established a form of social democracy.   It was an early form of "One Man - One Vote.  This meant in many cases that power would accrue to One Man, and he would have One Vote.  That was what we were fighting against to begin with, so in keeping with almost everything the elites attempt, their success was in establishing that which they had destroyed before.  We had Chairman Mao, Uncle Joe, and before long, other One Man - One Vote leaders like the Castro, Ho, Pol Pot, Peron, and on and on.

     The Yuropeans managed a different variation.  That would be to have multiple parties, crossing a wide spectrum of philosophies and platforms, that all agreed, no matter who would be elected, the concept of National Socialism would be the result.  In other words, One Vote - One Party.

     So now hear ye what the International and National Press Corps, all very important people, have to say upon introducing the French contenders for the crown of Louis XVI, "In the contest between the Far-Right Le Pen and the Moderate Macron.....", when in fact they are both socialists.  The main difference between the two is that Le Pen believes that Frenchmen might have the right to not rot out their culture and be systematically murdered into extinction by deranged Muslim Radical killers, while Macron believes that Whatever Brussels Wants, Brussels Gets.   Both are socialists to their cores....like almost everyone from the Shetland Islands to the Cypriot shores. 

     So, while I shall monitor a bit of the returns coming out of France, I shall content myself with the knowledge that the winner is already known.   The loser, without a doubt, will be France and the increasingly dull and grey landscape of Europe. 

El Gringo Viejo.

A Bit More Concerning San Jacinto, the Sequins, Sam Houston, and the Texanos.....(updated and corrected)

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   In our previous writing, we have attempted to orient the OROG to many of the greater complexities that were swirling around the geographic expanses of what would become Mexico as it solidified, Texas as it ventured off into becoming an independent Republic, and issues as arcane and disjointed as the Battle of Puebla de los Angeles and its connection to the family of Juan Sequin.

     Long ago, this writer, while still at university, uncovered a body of older newspapers clippings (and copies thereof) with well-written stories about Texas Rangers in the 1830s who were essentially small companies (10 - 20 men) of scouts, essentially light-cavalry, and frequently Latin and Spanish-speaking.  Some of the companies were totally Latin, and at times there were Indians who rode in the ranks.
     There was even one story about such a group that left during the siege of the Alamo and rode from their homes in and around Yorktown, Texas about 90 miles southeast of San Antonio.   It declared as fact that they had gone to San Antonio, after learning of Col. Fannin's disastrous experience at Goliad, in order to join the issue at the Alamo.  
     As scouts, they proceeded carefully and gained proximity to San Antonio, then discarded their mounts (who would return home without riders) and snuck into the city and finally within the walls of the venerable, if battered, old mission.  It was said that they arrived too late to be registered and rostered, but that they were assigned to areas that needed more defence. 

    A couple of days ago, another writer and analyst of these issues and the Texanos.....made similar salient entries into the McAllen Monitor with accurate reporting surrounding the events of the period.  To wit:

     "On the battlefield that day, Captain Juan Sequin and his 20 Tejanos fought alongside Gen. Houston and his soldiers, according to Sequin's memoirs.  Texas history has always assumed that only 20 Tejanos were fighting for Texas Independence that day, but now, according to a recently discovered petition to the State Comptroller's office for (concerning) pensions that were not granted to Texanos who fought for Independence, the more correct figure was almost 120.  
      "Gen. Houston ordered Lt. Salvador Flores, Seguin's second in command to take 25 Texanos to patrol the ranches and settlements to the south of San Antonio.   About 20 Texanos, including Blas Herrera, Sequin's favourite scout, were transferred to Erastus (Deaf) Smith's company of scouts.  About 30 Texanos were sent east to escort and protect Texas families (who had caravanned towards Louisiana in case Santa Anna would have been successful in disbanding all Texian resistance).   Three other Tejanos were too sick to accompany their main body and were left at San Felipe de Austin, 10 more were stationed in Harrisburg, and 5 more were put in charge of the remuda of horses (possibly 250) at the moments of the Battle of San Jacinto."
Mr. Jack Ayoub 

     These facts are not disputed and are on record.  My own minor differences are that, for instance, at one time and a long time ago at that, I was content with my knowledge that Juan Sequin was in command of the Cavalry (what little there was) at San Jacinto.  I was wrong for about 15 years.   As we stated not too long ago, further research have shown that it is more than conclusive that Mirabeau Bonaparte Lamar was the commander of cavalry at San Jacinto.   It was he who ordered, by form of verbal request, the person of Capitan Juan Sequin to organize the cavalry and prepared for attack for the next day....the 21st of April.
     Lamar, Seguin, and Seguin's subordinates conferred about the general details of their attack.  The great body of Texian draft and reserve cavalry horses were moved back,  several miles, herded by the five men described above in all probability.  It was, therefore, Sequin and his men who performed the task, but technically, Lamar was the commander of that small and very important part of the force.
     It should also be pointed out that all of the Scouts and others who performed the very dangerous task of riding to the flank and behind enemy lines, and all the others who served in extremely precarious service never backed down, rendered, surrendered, capitulated, or in any way performed in a Benedict Arnold manner during this profoundly difficult time.
     Concerning the pensions not having been paid, that matter requires an explanation that might appear to be complex and / or deceptive,  but which is reasonable.   The pensions, once voted in the 1850s by the Texas Legislature, were terribly disordered at the failure of the Southern War for Independence.   Reconstruction lasted longest in Texas, ending in 1876.  Many of the records of the State Land Commissioner's Office and the State Comptroller's Office were in almost total disarray.
     For instance, in Tennessee which was "reconstructed" much more quickly, the pensions for "Coloured" veterans of Confederate service began to be paid, usually to surviving spouses in the 1890s,  because of the age requirement.  There was some, but not considerable difficulty in approving many of the applications, simply because of the time elapsed.
     Another thing was that many of the same families who had Tejanos in the war against Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna also participated in the War Between the States 25 years later, and almost all served in the Confederate forces.
      Therefore, this writer does not see a wholesale avoidance of paying pensions to deserving veterans and / or their spouses,  but rather a jumble of disregard by Union occupying forces, and then a passive lack of concern by women who might have been eligible but really did not care to travel from San Patricio to Austin in order to make application, thirty or forty years after the fact.
To wit:

Esparza Family survivors of the Battle of the Alamo
(El Gringo Viejo notes:   Gregorio Esparza was Col. James Bowie's closest friend.  He snuck into the Alamo through a window, well into the siege, and cared for the ailing Bowie, and died defending him.  Gregorio's brother was a ranking officer in the Mexican Expeditionary Force, and requested Lopez de Santa Anna that his brother be granted the benefit of Christian burial, and not burned, as in a trash heap.  Lopez de Santa Anna gave permission for that one internment with Holy Rites of the Roman Catholic Church.)

    His family members were spared and are listed as official non-combatant survivors of the Battle of the Alamo. María de Jesús Castro also known as María de Jesús Esparza was the young step daughter of Esparza, who was also spared after the battle. His wife, Ana Esparza died in 1847, and the family was left without parents. Between 1850 and 1860, Gregorio's sons, Enrique, Manuel and Francisco filed pension petitions to gain the rights to land at Pleasanton, Texas (south of San Antonio about 25 miles). Enrique, a San Antonio truck-farmer, also in the Alamo during the siege, was rediscovered in 1901 and became a recorded eyewitness of what transpired during the siege. His brother, Manuel owned a general store in Pleasanton, and later served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Francisco would also serve in the Confederate Army and later became a Texas Ranger. He eventually moved to Tucson, Arizona, and became a law officer in the area.

     So, kudos to Mr. Jack Ayoub for shaking bats from my belfry.  It reminds us, especially during these days, that the easy explanations are suspect.  The braids and strands of truth and fact must always be studied and considered and respected so as to avoid being turned into the rope of lies that would allow despots and people with ill agenda to hang us from a gallows of false history.

EL GRINGO VIEJO

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