F-Words, New Words , and Contrasts

January 6, 2022 - Today we celebrate the Failure of the putsch by Mr. Biggest Loser, who also lost the House and the Senate. Mr. Biggest Loser will remembered by history as the only elected Fascist to lose re-election; both Mussolini and Hitler won their re-elections, using methods attempted by Mr. Biggest Loser.

In other news, M. Macron made news yesterday by vowing to "emmerde es non-vaccinés". Mainstream media translated this as "pissed-off"; my translation (from high school French, which I repeatedly failed) would have been "shit on". "Emmerde" actually translates to the f-word you are thinking about. I wish our government would be as emphatic as the French to the un-vaxxed.

[end of F-word article and fancy typography]

Besides emmerde, my other new word today is malacology, the study of mollusks. The Museum of Natural Science has a stunning collection of sea shells, by far the best I've ever seen. These Australian Trumpets (Syrinx aruanus) with Barbara are real shells, the biggest in the world. The albino shell is the largest albino shell on display in the world.  I always thought white shells were just sun-bleached, but rarely they are actual albinos.  Definitely worth visiting if in Houston.

Another highlight of the museum was the mineral collection. World class. 

Exceptional red emerald crystal from Utah

The gemstone collection, however, was disappointing to this former gemologist. A lot of boring, colorless stones (phenakite, danburite, "Herkimer diamonds" quartz, white topaz, etc.), and several items I thought were misidentified. Almost nothing exhibited couldn't have been bought relatively cheaply at any Tucson gem show. Many/most of the items were greasy from fingerprints and displayed poorly. Oh, well.

Then onwards to the new "Version 3.0" of the Weiss Energy Hall, altruistically  sponsored by Exxon, Shell, Occidental and the other good ol' boys (who contributed $40+ million) we love and adore. Version 3.0, opened in 2017,  is "roughly the size of a football field" according to the museum and occupies the entire 4th floor of the museum (30,000 sq ft). I guess everything in Texas is bigger, even their football fields: American football fields are 57,600 sq ft.

So, money no object, how does one promote the oil and gas industry in the most petroleum-centric city in the USA? $14,000 per square foot is a significant budget.

Lots of flashing lights, special effects, and loud music that sounds like it is from a big-budget action film. Big wall video of smiling children who are so happy they have cell phones and clothes that come from energy. Huge plastic reproduction of a tricone rotary drill bit. Prominent sponsor logos. An amusement ride that pretends to descend down through the layers of an oil well, but it was closed/broken. A large exhibit mapping out how the city of Houston could be the City of the Future (with blinking lights, presumably) was closed/out of order. One exhibit with two out-of-scale "hologram" people "discussed" a bore hole in the field. The script seemed written by a committee that had never met, throwing in bullet points, must haves, and talking points, spoken very quickly with no context or transitions. Another exhibit made explosion noises every minute or so to emulate underwater exploration equipment. A shale oil exhibit, while actually informational, had a UX (user experience) that only a UI (user interface) sadist would enjoy.

Surprising to me, there were also some (very) brief mentions of wind turbines, geothermal, and fusion (but not fission) energy. Oil spills? Pollution? Global Warming? For some reason, I couldn't find that exhibit.

I guess the good ol' boys got their money's worth.

Another good ol' boy was Jim Hogg, "first Native Texan Governor" in 1890. He happened to buy a former forced labor camp near Spindletop, and became very rich. His daughter Ima Hogg inherited well (pun intended) and bought a lot of early American antiques to furnish her mansion. Her mansion was surrounded by formal gardens, all of which have been donated to the MFA of Houston. Everything is in beautiful condition, so there probably was a very substantial endowment, too. Miss Hogg, like Miss Piggy, never married.

I mentioned this to my mother, who is very much into American antiques and gardens. "Oh, yes, Ima Hogg was a good friend of my grandmother. They both collected antiques and were officers of the Garden Club of America. Certainly was mean of her father to name her Ima Hogg." Small world.

For super-stark contrast, we visited the Buffalo Soldiers Museum. Buffalo Soldiers refers to the first African-American regiments: "In 1866, through an act of Congress, legislation was adopted to create six all African American Army units. The units were identified as the 9th and 10th cavalry and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st infantry regiments." Commanded by White officers, of course.

They served initially in the Indian Wars out west, escorting settlers and railroad construction crews, and participated in 177 engagements.

"The combat prowess, bravery, tenaciousness, and looks on the battlefield, inspired the Indians to call them Buffalo Soldiers. The name symbolized the Native American’s respect for the Buffalo Soldiers’ bravery and valor. Buffalo Soldiers, down through the years, have worn the name with pride." (from the museum handout)

Interesting little museum, set up on a very modest budget in an old armory in the poor 3rd Ward of the Houston. My guess is just one day's ticket sales at the MFAH exceeds the entire budget since the museum's founding. Or just one of the important antiques at Miss Hogg's house.

The museum went on to show African-Americans serving officially in all conflicts since the Civil War, and includes Black astronauts at NASA. (Many Blacks served unofficially in the Civil War.) Curiously, there was no mention of Crispus Attucks, the first American killed in the Revolution. 

There is the remarkable tale of Cathay Williams/William Cathay. Born enslaved in 1844, she was freed by Union soldiers in 1861. Sent to Little Rock AR, she learns to cook for the Army. After the Civil War, she incognito enlisted in the Army as a Buffalo Soldier November 1866. She was discharged October 14, 1868 when she was discovered to be a woman.

The nearby Contemporary Art Museum of Houston had this exhibited. Unfortunately for us, the museum was doing an installation and was closed. 8M46S

Sometimes I feel useless and over the hill.

Guess they figger dem old folks can't catch nothing anyhow

Happy Trails,

Krem and Barbara