Category Archives: Scratch Pad

It’s More Than an Election

Posted on October 28, 2026 by Allen Mesch

The mid-term election is almost here. My wife and I voted early to avoid standing in line. However, this election seems very different from previous ones. In Texas, this election is like an exam of who we are. It is … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Mouse’s Tail

Posted on August 27, 2026 by Allen Mesch

Introducing my new collection of mice stories.

Posted in Scratch Pad | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Tagged | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Scratch Pad | Tagged | Leave a comment