Thumbs up, down
Buffett talks about holistic development, while Mexico’s water is now in vogue.
Admit it: How many of you have finished the Saturday editorial page and uttered the words, “those morons?” Never mind; don’t answer that. We don’t know if Rex Tillerson used the m-word. NBC says he did. The State Department spokesperson said he didn’t. The secretary was cryptic. “I’m not going to deal with petty stuff like that. … I’m not from (Washington), but the places I come from, we don’t deal with this … nonsense.” Here’s where we come down. This president needs adult supervision. Tillerson, even though we disagree with his opaque behavior, provides it. He didn’t need this job, so we salute him for sticking it out even if it’s clear he doesn’t have much respect for the boss’ foreign policy aptitude or management style.
If this isn’t the time for a coastal community to discuss climate change, then when? Two inches of rain Tuesday pushed our annual total to 74.18 inches, making 2017 the wettest year in Houston’s history with three months to go. This page wrote this week about the problems of living on a coastal plain where elected officials have allowed risky development despite knowing the likelihood of flooding. You can’t change the weather, but you can change the leaders. Those with water sloshing in their homes need to turn anger into votes.
Speaking of voting, if you’re running errands today, get nosy. Ask the clerks at Home Depot if they’re registered to vote. They should be, and Tuesday is the deadline to sign up for November’s election. It’s an important one if you pay taxes (you do) or have a kid in HISD. This telephone number — 713-274-8683 — will get you all the information you need.
If you prefer an election with choice, it’s unlikely you’ll find it in next year’s race for governor. In an analysis of the 2018 election (the primary filing deadline isn’t far off), the Chronicle’s Mike Ward reports that no high-profile candidate has surfaced to challenge Greg Abbott. “Two Democrats have announced they will run: Dallas businessman Jeffrey Payne, the openly gay owner of a noted leather bar, among other interests, and San Antonio businessman Tom Wakely, who fashions himself as Bernie Sanders in a cowboy hat.” We’re so old, we remember when you didn’t drink the water in Mexico. Now, that agua is worth serious dinero. In a move that speaks to the power of a brand, Coca-Cola paid $220 million for the rights to Topo Chico, the Pelligrino of Monterrey. As they’ll soon be saying in Mexico, things go better with Topo Chico. Salud.
The ultimate compliment from your granddaughter is, “Grandpa, you blew up on Twitter.” That account, from the New York Times, speaks to the popularity of Dallas sportscaster Dale Hansen. Our tip for the weekend is to Google Hansen and spend three minutes with one of his commentaries. The jowly, 69-year-old is an unlikely champion of civil rights, and no one has done a better job explaining the protests by NFL players.
Oceanographer Tony Amos was a champion of the coastal environment and revered in the Aransas area, where he recently died. Amos also was the founder of a marine life rehabilitation center. So it was a fitting tribute when Picasso, a green sea turtle, had his shell sprinkled with Amos’ ashes before plodding back into the gulf at the end of a sunset ceremony.
Warren Buffett doesn’t easily provide a stamp of approval, but he’s “all-in” on the concept of holistic community development. The way to break intergenerational poverty, he believes, is to provide housing, quality education and wellness in a neighborhood. It’s happening right here in Bayou City — in the Gulfton neighborhood — where KIPP, Legacy Health, the YMCA and St. Luke’s Church have come together to provide wraparound services. Buffett spoke to those groups — and others — in Omaha this week. “The American dream has succeeded in aggregate,” he said.
In the cancer-fighting community, MD Anderson researchers Jim Allison and Padmanee Sharma were dubbed “the ultimate power couple” in a recent Washington Post profile. The article appeared just before the awarding of the Nobel in medicine. That was shared by three Americans for work in circadian rhythms. We were pulling for Allison. So, Jim, get some rest and stay healthy because, like in Houston sports, there’s always next year.