School Book Bans

Posted on October 25, 2026 by Allen Mesch

Book Burnings

The Nazi book burnings were a campaign conducted by the German Student Union to ceremonially burn books in Nazi Germany and Austria in the 1930s. The books targeted for burning were those viewed as being subversive or as representing ideologies opposed to Nazism. These included books written by Jewish, half-Jewish, communist, socialist, anarchist, liberal, pacifist, and sexologist authors, among others. The initial books burned were those of Karl Marx and Karl Kautsky, but the burned books came to include other authors, including the works of Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, H.G. Wells, and effectively any book incompatible with Nazi ideology. The first burning consisted mainly of LGBTQ books from the Institute of Sexual Research, founded by the pioneering Jewish sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld as the first medical center devoted to the study of gender and sexuality. In a campaign of cultural genocide, books were also burned en masse by the Nazis in occupied territories. <1>

Texas Leads the U.S. in School Book Bans

According to PEN America, Texas schools removed 8,193 books from their libraries in the 2025-2026 school year. In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed H.B. 900, which required booksellers to rate materials for sexual content. A federal judge declared the rating system unconstitutional and permanently blocked sections of the law. Texas legislators passed S.B. 13 to increase oversight of public-school library materials using advisory councils and parental supervision. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick threatened penalties for school districts that did not remove prohibited books. The districts used AI to evaluate the books and decide which to remove. The trend has been to remove books about LGBT people and “people of color.” <2>

The following titles are among the notable books on Lt. Gov. Patrick’s list: “Night” by Elie Wiesel, “American Like Me” by America Ferrera, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, and “Beloved” by Toni Morrison. These books were written by a Jewish author, a Mexican American author, and a Black author. <3>

Conclusions

As an author, I am distressed by the state’s heavy-handed censorship. I am not opposed to parents restricting books that their children read. However, a parent’s censorship should not be applied broadly to all parents. Children of color and young people struggling with sexual identity should not be barred from reading books about other people dealing with life’s problems. Books are meant to elicit strong feelings. They illustrate problems in our society that need solving. Hiding the bad things that happen to people is wrong. Our children already face the dangers of school shootings.

Left uncontested, we face widespread censorship of what we read, view, and hear. Will this ban spread to public libraries and bookstores? The prospect of widespread censorship is frightening.

What will happen to these banned volumes? They will probably be burned. It sounds like something that happened before.

Footnotes:

<1> “Nazi book burnings,” Wikipedia, Nazi book burnings – Wikipedia, retrieved October 25, 2026.

<2> “Texas led the U.S. in school book bans,” The Dallas Morning News, October 19, 2026, pp. 1B and 2B.

<3> “Books on Patrick’s school library ban list,” The Dallas Morning News, October 24, 2026, p. 4A.

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What’s So Bad About Socialism?

Posted on October 20, 2026 by Allen Mesch

Conservative politicians have been assailing socialism during the 2026 election. They paint liberals with a “socialist” label as if socialism were evil.

Let’s start with a definition based on Wikipedia and edited by your author.

Socialism is an economic ideology and political philosophy that includes diverse economic and social systems. The major characteristic is public or social ownership of the means of production instead of private ownership.  Social ownership can take various forms, including public, community, collective, cooperative, or employee.

Socialism is embedded in the economics and politics of the United States. Perhaps the best-known socialist program is Social Security.

However, there are many social systems that benefit all Americans. Wikipedia contains an extensive list.

Key Social Programs in the United States

  1. Social Security: Established in 1935, Social Security provides financial support to retirees, people with disabilities, and survivors of deceased workers. Funded by payroll taxes, it pools contributions from current workers and distributes benefits to eligible recipients, reflecting the socialist principle of shared resources.
  2. Medicare and Medicaid: These U.S. healthcare programs illustrate socialist principles. Medicare, established in 1965, provides health insurance primarily to Americans age 65 and older, while Medicaid serves eligible low-income individuals and families. Funded by taxpayers, both programs expand access to healthcare regardless of ability to pay.
  3. Public Education: The U.S. public education system, which includes K-12 schools and state universities, is funded by federal, state, and local taxes. It provides free education to all children, ensuring equal access to learning opportunities. This model reflects socialism’s emphasis on providing essential services to all citizens.
  4. Housing Assistance Programs: Various federal and state programs provide housing subsidies and assistance to low-income families, helping them afford safe and stable housing. These programs aim to reduce homelessness and improve living conditions for vulnerable populations.
  5. Food Assistance Programs: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance to low-income individuals and families. This program is designed to alleviate hunger and improve nutrition among those in need
  6. Public Infrastructure: Bridges, roads, electricity, water and sewer systems, and other government infrastructure are considered socialist. It is usually owned and operated by the government and paid for by a mix of taxation and user fees.
  7. Public Water Companies: Up to 75% of water services in the USA are owned and operated by a government entity.
  8. Fire Protection Services: Fire departments.
  9. Public Transportation: Public transportation systems, including buses, subways, railway stations, etc., are another great example of socialism in America.
  10. Police Departments
  11. Public Parks
  12. Postal Service
  13. Military

This list was compiled from Helpful Professor and Wikipedia.

Conclusion

Although the U.S. economy is primarily capitalist, these social programs combine elements of socialism and capitalism to provide essential services and support, especially to those in need. Debate over socialism in America often focuses on the programs’ effectiveness and sustainability, reflecting differing views of government’s role in social welfare.

As you go to the polls this November, please consider how socialist programs have helped you and your family. Would you be willing to stop receiving Social Security benefits?

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The Halifax Citadel

Posted on October 15, 2026 by Allen Mesch

The Halifax Citadel began life in 1748. It has undergone four different designs over the past 278 years. I had the pleasure of visiting the fortress in September 2026. I have attached photographs that I took during my visit.

The First Citadel

On June 21, 1749, Edward Cornwallis entered Chebucto Harbour with 2,576 British colonists. They immediately cleared land for a settlement named after their patron, the Earl of Halifax, President of the Board of Trade and Plantations. Soon, they built several fortifications, including a wooden garrison near the summit of a prominent hill overlooking the harbor—the first Halifax Citadel.

The fortified community was part of a wave of British settlement in Nova Scotia that began in 1748. After France regained Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, Britain feared an attack on the mainland. Halifax’s deep, ice-free harbor provided a strong defense, and the hill chosen for the first Citadel offered the best vantage point for protecting the town.

British troops completed the first Citadel on September 11, 1749. Unlike today’s stone fortress, it was built of wood. Its greatest enemies proved to be the climate and neglect, not the French: fog, rain, and harsh winters hastened its decay.

Halifax continued to expand and became Nova Scotia’s capital when the colony gained representative government in 1758. A new danger emerged when the American Revolution began in 1776, renewing fears of an attack on this vital British naval base and prompting plans for another Citadel.

The Second Fortress

By 1761, years of neglect and Nova Scotia’s damp climate had left the first Halifax Citadel in ruins, though it had never been attacked. Construction of a replacement began, but repeated setbacks delayed its completion for several years.

Plans for a new Citadel required lowering the hill by 40 feet, but too few soldiers were stationed in Halifax to complete the work. Although 1,000 troops arrived from Massachusetts in 1761, little progress was made by summer’s end. Work planned for the next summer was abandoned after the French attacked St. John’s, Newfoundland, forcing the British to strengthen harbor defenses on Georges Island and along the Halifax and Dartmouth shores.

The American Revolution in the 1770s renewed attention to Halifax’s land defenses and the Citadel. Because many residents had come from New England and supported the revolution, Britain feared an American land attack. Led by Captain William Spry, British troops built a new fort based on expanded 1761 plans. Its centerpiece was a large octagonal tower that housed 100 soldiers.

Like its predecessor, the second Citadel never saw battle. By 1784, neglect and Nova Scotia’s climate had left it in ruins. Renewed conflict between Britain and France later prompted plans for a third fort atop Citadel Hill.

The Third Fortress

When Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, arrived in Halifax in 1794 as commander-in-chief of British forces in Nova Scotia, Britain was at war with France. Although the conflict was distant, officials feared an attack on Halifax’s strategic naval base. Finding the town’s defenses in poor condition, Edward launched a campaign to repair them and build new fortifications, including a third Halifax Citadel named for his father, King George III.

Although plans for the new Halifax Citadel were approved in 1795, shortages of manpower and materials delayed construction until 1796. By then, the old fortress had been levelled and the hill lowered by 15 feet.

The new fort took four years to complete and was the first built directly atop the hill. Similar in size and shape to the present Citadel, it was smaller than the fort it replaced. Constructed mainly of earth and timber, it contained only three major buildings: a barracks, a provision store, and a powder magazine.

Like the first two Citadels, the third never saw battle. Despite repeated repairs, including patchwork during the War of 1812, it was in ruins by 1825. Planning soon began for a fourth, more permanent fort.

The Fourth and Current Citadel

In the 1820s, rising tensions led Britain to fear that U.S. forces might seize Halifax by land if war broke out. Britain again strengthened the town’s defenses, this time choosing a permanent fort to protect the vital naval base for generations. Construction of the fourth Halifax Citadel began in August 1828.

Designed by Royal Engineers Colonel Gustavus Nicolls, the new star-shaped stone fortress was expected to take six years to complete. Design flaws delayed construction, and the Halifax Citadel was not finished until 1856. Like its predecessors, it never saw battle, and advances in weaponry soon made it obsolete.

In 1906, Britain transferred the Halifax Citadel to the Canadian Department of Militia and Defence. During World War I, it housed soldiers and served as the command center for Halifax Harbour’s defenses. It again became a temporary barracks during World War II, offering many troops their final glimpse of Canada before they went overseas.

Today, the Halifax Citadel is one of Canada’s most significant and beloved historic sites. Parks Canada has carefully restored it to its Victorian-era appearance. Exhibits and living history programs preserve its enduring place in the story of Halifax and Canada. [1]

[1] “The Four Citadels,” Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, Parks Canada, The Four Citadels – Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, retrieved October 15, 2026.

The Halifax Citadel in 2026

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Supporting Local Artists

Posted on October 5, 2026 by Allen Mesch

At a discussion hosted by The Dallas Morning News and the Ten 20 Gallery in Plano, Texas, supporters and advocates discussed how to create “a thriving arts scene” in the North Texas suburb.

I am an author and artist. I am a member of both art and writing groups.

Local artists who attended the meeting expressed the need for more funding. Other speakers talked about the benefits of art in the community. Many attendees spoke of the need to create more financial support from the city.

There are several problems with this approach. Throwing more money at a problem often fails to solve the issue. I believe there are more fundamental issues here.

Let’s take baby steps to analyze the issue. First of all, what are the arts? l The focus on “art” should be refocused on the “arts.” Any initiative should include all the arts, performing arts, writing, and the arts presented in the article. The following is a definition from Wikipedia:

The arts, or creative arts, are a vast range of human practices involving creative expression, storytelling, and cultural participation. The arts encompass diverse and plural modes of thought, action, and existence across a wide range of media. Both a dynamic and characteristically constant feature of human life, the arts have developed into increasingly stylized and intricate forms. This is achieved through sustained and deliberate study, training, or theorizing within a particular tradition, across generations, and even between civilizations. The arts are a medium through which humans cultivate distinct social, cultural, and individual identities while transmitting values, impressions, judgements, ideas, visions, spiritual meanings, patterns of life, and experiences across time and space.

The arts are divided into three main branches: visual arts, literature, and performing arts. Examples of visual arts include architecture, ceramic art, drawing, filmmaking, painting, photography, and sculpture. Examples of literature include fiction, drama, poetry, and prose. Examples of performing arts include dance, music, and theatre. The arts can employ skill and imagination to produce physical objects and performances, convey insights and experiences, and construct new natural environments and spaces.

Wow! That’s quite a list. The main point I wish to make is that the arts include many different creative forms. Funding an art gallery or sponsoring art shows only addresses a small part of the creative arts.

The arts need champions to gather interest and support. The logical places to find these champions are the organizations offering the creative arts — libraries, art galleries, and theaters.

I believe artistic organizations should start with themselves before asking taxpayers to help them out. Some things can be done now to promote the arts.

Where do these ideas come from? They are not the exclusive property of the officers of these organizations. These groups have creative people who can look at the problem differently and present innovative solutions.

Many of the public organizations have volunteer advisory boards. Unfortunately, in the case of many of these groups, the members are prohibited from advising. Many boards are Stepford Boards where members are expected to nod in agreement and carry the message to the community. Frankly, I find this insulting. Citizens have volunteered their time to help “advise,” not to sit in meetings like mannequins.

This also occurs in art associations where ideas are dismissed because they didn’t come from an officer. After attending my first meeting of the group, I sent an email to an officer suggesting that new members be allowed to introduce themselves to the group. The idea was ignored. Undeterred, I volunteered to develop a new member brochure and offer some suggestions to improve the association website. The information was sent to an officer. There was no discussion of the ideas, and no action has been taken on my contributions.  

Organizations can be living organisms, or they can be cliques. The groups die of old age because they have not added new members. I know of two national organizations where the local chapters are gone because they didn’t add new members.

This means that new members are the lifeblood of an organization. They should be treated as gems to help build a stronger organization. If the group is not welcoming, those initial visits will produce no memberships or short ones.

Why all the whining? Before getting more money to promote the arts, these organizations should examine what they can do with what they already have in place. To encourage a creative art scene in Plano, the community needs to allow creative ideas from local artists.

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The Mysterious Death of Ebenezer Allen

Posted on September 22, 2026 by Allen Mesch

This analysis was prompted by an article published in the Fall 2026 issue of Civil War Navy. The Triton Submarine Apparatus: Newly Surfaced Letter Adds to Mystery by Edward T. Cotham Jr. and Andrew W. Hall describes a Confederate submarine named the Triton.  A key part of their analysis centers on a letter requiring Ebenezer Allen’s signature that inventor C. Williams later signed and sent to Texas. The article describes the invention and its ultimate rejection.

I decided to take a whimsical approach to my new analysis of the mysterious death of Ebenezer Allen. I assumed the role of a 19th-century private detective in Richmond, Virginia. The detective, Mr. Allen Mesch, was retained by Mr. C. Williams to investigate the death of his solicitor, Mr. Ebenezer Allen.

Don’t be concerned. In the latter part of my analysis, I return to September 2026 for a more serious evaluation of the evidence.

When I began reviewing the information about the Allen/Williams letter, I had no idea that it would turn into such an undertaking.

Please read the complete analysis to learn the impact of the mysterious letter on my prior conclusions.

Allen Mesch
Plano, TX
September 2026

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September is National Prostate Cancer Month

Posted on September 1, 2026 by Allen Mesch

Dear Friends,

Please get your prostate checked this month.

I am a prostate cancer survivor. My wonderful urologist discovered a problem in a routine examination. He took samples of the infected sites and discovered I had advanced cancer.

Then my search for a treatment began. The choices were surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. I talked with several different doctors. My urologist recommended a doctor in Arlington. His office is a 45-minute drive from my home.

Well, after some consideration, we decided on radiation. I say “we” because my wife would be directly involved in the treatment. She would drive me to and from treatments and care for me if I was ill.

The next phase was reducing my testosterone level. This was done to shrink the prostate. It was not hormone therapy, but my hairy chest hairs were a thing of the past. Then came the wait until my prostate had decreased to an “acceptable size.”

Then my urologist placed gold markers in the cancerous cells to act as targets for the radiation. I must say that this hurt like hell.

With the gold markers in place, I became a richer man and was able to begin 8 weeks of 5 days a week radiation.

I had to have a full bladder before each radiation treatment which meant drinking a quart (I seemed like a gallon) of water on the drive to Arlington. Once I arrived at the doctor’s office, I joined several other patients waiting treatment. We donned sweat pants. Patience is not what I would call the mood of those under extreme pressure.

Then it was my turn. I walked into the radiation room and lay down on the table. The nurses covered my privates with a towel. I lowered my sweat pants and under the towel. The radiation took less than five minutes. I pilled up my pants and the nurses removed the towel.

Then began a dash to the bathroom. Heaven help those who stood in my way. My fellow patients knew better to interfere. I made it to the toilet, emptied my bladder, and thanked God that I made it without embarrassing myself.

Every Wednesday, the doctor would visit with me and allow me to ask any questions.

The trip home would often require a bathroom stop.

That was my regimen five days a week for eight weeks.

On my last day, the doctor pronounced me cured.

I get my PSA checked every six months and, so far, it is less than 0.01 (negligible).

That’s my story. It’s been twelve years since my treatment.

Prostate cancer has been linked to other cancers in women, like breast cancer. So if you are not willing to do this for yourself, do it for your sons and daughters. Please get checked out!

For those of you expecting an image, give me a break.

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A Mouse’s Tail

Posted on August 27, 2026 by Allen Mesch

Introducing my new collection of mice stories.

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The President’s Daily Calendar

Posted on August 25, 2026 by Allen Mesch

You probably are familiar with those calendar pads where each page (date) has a different message. Some examples of the calendar pads are topics like: historical events, word-of-the- day, joke of the day, famous sayings, dogs doing funny things, cats doing strange things, people you might meet at Walmart, etc. You’ve got the idea.

Each day I wake up wondering what bizarre thing the guy in the White House will do.

Well, the current resident of the White House has his own calendar pad. This pad contains things he can do to offend the American public (aka the idiots who elected him and still support him). They might be

1.) Put a 50% tariff on Canadian imports.

2. Build a wall through Big Bend National Park.

3. Change the name of the Gulf of Mexico.

4.) Start a war in the Middle East that results in higher gasoline prices.

5. Name an aircraft carrier that honored Doris Miller, a Black sailor who fought the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, to the president’s name.

6.) Threaten to annex Greenland.

7.) Rename something today.

8.) Insult Trevor Noah.

9.) Sue somebody, anybody.

10.) Announce a new measure that restricts freedom of speech.

11.) Insult a prominent American woman.

12.) Complement a foreign dictator.

13.) Stop vaccinations in America.

14.) Revoke visas to 200,000 asylum seekers.

15,) Add $1 trillion to national debt.

16.} Insult an American armed forces division.

17.) Dishonor fallen American service members as “suckers” and “losers.”

18.) Dismiss the sacrifice and emotional distress suffered by American sailors during their grueling 274-day deployment in the Arabian Sea.

I am sure that readers can add more to my short list.

Check out the Today in History calendar on Amazon.

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Greetings from Hell

Posted on August 21, 2026 by Allen Mesch

Will it seems like hell in Texas with 100+ F. temperatures.

In my last post I wrote about global warming. I hope I have convinced you that it’s the real deal.

Now for a little science. I know that most readers are not familiar with chemistry, so I’ll try to keep this

simple. When you burn substances made from compounds with carbon you produce greenhouse gases.

Here’s the equation:

C + O2 —> CO2

Carbon + Oxygen produces Carbon Dioxide or greenhouse gas

What if we burn natural gas to cook our food or heat our home or generate electricity?

CH4 + 2O2 —> CO2 +2H2O

Methane + Oxygen produces Carbon Dioxide and Water

More of that greenhouse gas.

What about gasoline. Gasoline is the biggest use of petroleum in the United States.

C5H12+ 😯2 —> 5CO2 +6H2O

Pentane + Oxygen produces Carbon Dioxide and Water

There is nothing magical about this.

Some of you buy gasoline with ethanol. Why would you buy partially burned fuel? Do you buy candy bars with a bite taken out of them?

Yes, it’s hot in Texas, and global warming is going to make each succeeding summer even hotter.

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Too Hot? Is it Too Late?

Posted on August 2, 2026 by Allen Mesch

Well folks, if this summer hasn’t convinced you that global warming is real, here are some signs to consider.

Ten signs of global warming

  1. Global temperatures are rising
  2. Ocean temperatures are increasing
  3. Soil temperatures are increasing.
  4. Oceans are more acidic
  5. Humidity is increasing
  6. Arctic sea ice extent is diminishing
  7. Springtime snow cover is going down
  8. Glaciers are shrinking
  9. Forest fire season is longer
  10. The seas are rising.

Ten Signs of Climate Change, Union of Concerned Scientists, January 9, 2025, https://www.ucs.org/resources/ten-signs-global-warming

  1. Climate Refugees Already On the Move
  2. The Arctic is Becoming More Acidic
  3. Great Lakes Ice is Shrinking
  4. Mount Everest’s Ice is Melting
  5. Hot Days Are on the Rise
  6. Rising Sea Levels Already Threatening the Caribbean
  7. Arctic Ice Shrinks to Record Low
  8. Sea Birds in Peril
  9. Animals Changing Their Behavior
  10. World Hits ‘Unnerving’ Greenhouse Gas Milestone

10 Signs Global Warming is Happening Now, The Weather Channel, June 19, 2013, https://weather.com/science/environment/news/10-signs-global-warming-happening-now-20130618

Is there anyone who has witnessed this summer’s events who doubts that we are experiencing global warming? Knowledgeable people believe it’s real. The major skeptics are politicians who don’t believe in science.

Here are my observations:

  1. The earth’s temperature is rising. A quick look at temperatures in the United States and Europe.
  2. Forest fires in North America and Europe driven by dry conditions.
  3. Widespread flooding in the United States. Hot temperatures increase evaporation which becomes rain and/or dries the land.
  4. Increase in humidity drive
  5. Animals changing behavior as demonstrated by the increase in shark attacks.

We may not witness glaciers disappearing, Mount Everest ice melting, or Arctic ice shrinking, but scientists have observed and reported on these occurrences.

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