My Thoughts Are My Own

Posted on September 23, 2025 by Allen Mesch

My thoughts are my own.

My thoughts are not dictated to me by a central authority.

My knowledge is my own.

I will not let a central authority pervert history and science.

I recognize the sins of past and current central authorities.

Slavery is real. Genocide is real. Bigotry is real.

I respect your thoughts even though I disagree with them.

No one is going to force me to pray, vote, or behave in the way they demand.

I do not care if you think the same as I do.

I hope you will respect my opinions as I respect yours.

I am an intelligent human who can distinguish between the truth and the lies orchestrated by a central authority.

My thoughts are my own.

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Call Me an Artist? Maybe an Art Student

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Allen Mesch
An Oilfield Worker
This is Not a Self-Portrait

I thought I might underwhelm your senses with some of my recent projects. In early 2023, I started drawing using pencils and watercolors. In 2025, I took an oil painting class. As an art student, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some of my efforts with my readers.

I have divided my work into the following categories:

Pencil Art

Watercolor Paintings

Oil Paintings

Please visit my Art Gallery to see my very humble efforts.

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Troubles in the Plano Independent School District

Posted on September 4, 2025 by Allen Mesch

Anti-Semitism in Plano Independent School District

Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into Plano Independent School District (“PISD”) for permitting and facilitating antisemitic behavior.

Reports have indicated that students in PISD have been subjected to biased materials that advance a pro-Palestinian worldview and that school officials have provided “excused” absences to students participating in pro-Palestinian walkouts—effectively making it a school-sponsored anti-Israel activity.

“The reports regarding antisemitic activity in Plano ISD schools are alarming and must be swiftly and aggressively addressed,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Any teacher or administrator that has facilitated or supported radical anti-Israel rhetoric in our schools should be fired immediately. I stand in solidarity with our Jewish community, and we will continue to do everything in our power to root out antisemitism in all its forms.”

As part of the investigation, Attorney General Paxton sent a letter to PISD Superintendent Theresa Williams demanding a wide range of documents, including the school’s policies on walkouts, any documentation regarding anti-Israel curriculum, and disciplinary actions against teachers and staff for antisemitic action.

The letter states: “As we approach the second anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, it is crucial that PISD take all necessary steps to combat antisemitism and appropriately discipline teachers, staff, and students that act in contravention to state law and PISD policy.”[1]

This is a shocking and disappointing accusation by the Texas Attorney General. My wife taught in Plano for around thirty years, and our daughter attended Plano schools and graduated from Plano Senior High School. The issue has brought national attention and shame to a highly regarded school district. The antisemitic behavior by students, faculty, and staff dishonors the hard-working teachers and students who helped build the district’s reputation.

A classroom has no room for hatred. Discussion of issues is important, but when students and teachers resort to discriminatory behavior, the discussion has gone over the line. The teachers should know better. This religious bullying, like all similar behavior, should not be tolerated in our society, and especially not in our schools. By allowing students to verbally and physically attack Jewish students, PISD faculty, staff, and elected school board members fail in their primary duty — to educate.  Permitting this type of behavior certifies that it is acceptable in the district. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to intimidate others.

I am in no way condoning the genocide that the Israeli government is conducting on residents of the Gaza Strip. It is especially disturbing that an ethnic group that has been devastated by three genocides should believe that it is okay to do the same to another group of people. However, the situation is very complex and way over my pay grade to offer solutions. However, I fault the world community for standing by and allowing it to happen.

Discrimination Against Latino Families

I cannot end my condemnation of the PISD School Board without pointing out what I consider to be another case of discrimination. The board decided to close Forman Elementary School. They cited declining attendance and budgetary constraints as the reasons. Nonsense, the district has enough funds to build facilities near Plano Senior High School.

The real reason may be that the school did not perform as high as the board would like, and thus lowered the district’s rating. The victims, students and parents, will be sent to other schools. The real issue here is that the action discriminates against the Latino community. Forman was not just a school; it was a rallying place for the community; it was a home away from home. I attended one of the many farewell celebrations. The festivities were conducted in Spanish and English.  The event was catered by the Forman family, complete with food and gifts. I view the closing of this school to be an act of discrimination against Latinos.

I hope Plano citizens will not tolerate this behavior and elect a new school board committed to the right “ation” — education, not discrimination.

[1] Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces Investigation and Demands Documents from Plano ISD Following Antisemitic Incidents | Office of the Attorney General

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Too Hot! Too Late? – Part 3

Posted on August 12, 2025 by Allen Mesch

Is Science Evil

Science has greatly influenced humanity. This influence has led some to believe that science holds all the answers. This belief conflicts with religion, which holds that the secrets of the Universe are closely kept by God.

In my opinion, science and religious faith work together to answer all of humanity’s questions.

Why this discussion of science? As I illustrated in the last post, climate change is from carbon dioxide and water vapor. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are produced when fossil fuels are burned.

To reject global warming means to reject science or, more specifically, chemistry. Today, politics has become involved in the denial of climate change. Conservative politicians have advocated this denial to gain votes from various religious groups and campaign funding from oil and gas lobbies. Government funding of alternative fuel research has been cut by the current United States government.

My suggestion is for those who do not believe in science to reject all of the conveniences provided by science and its handmaiden technology. I think that we should have technology gathering sites in all of the major cities for science deniers to drop off their possessions that originate in science.

I have prepared the following list of items to be sent to collection sites:

  1. Personal computers
  2. Cell phones
  3. Radios
  4. Televisions
  5. Microwave ovens
  6. Automobiles and trucks
  7. Refrigerators and refrigerated food
  8. Medicines
  9. Artificial arms and legs
  10. Washers and Dryers
  11. The Internet (Of course, without computers, this has to go
  12. Dishwashers
  13. Telephones
  14. Trains and Buses
  15. Running water and plumbing (Please detach your toilets, sinks, showers, and baths.

I could go on, but you get the point.

That is not to say that technology is all good. Evil people have used technology for terrible reasons, like killing people. Technology is a double-edged sword. Guns are used to hunt for food and to kill people. The Internet provides access to information and pornography. The power of artificial intelligence helps us organize and improve our writing, but we are just discovering its power as a propaganda tool and criminal device.

Failure to accept the science of climate change leads to monstrous consequences. I will present some of these consequences in the next post.

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Too Hot!  Too Late? – Part 2

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Allen Mesch

Climate Change Chemistry

Long before the recent events, I understood the science behind global climate change. We are creating a manmade disaster by continuing to burn fossil fuels. Call it the dinosaurs’ revenge, even though fossil fuels trace their origin to tiny organisms.

Carbon is the common element in fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burned, they produce carbon dioxide gas and water. Both carbon dioxide and water are greenhouse gases.

 So put on your science hats for a little basic chemistry.

The carbon atoms [C] combine with oxygen [O2] to produce carbon dioxide [CO2].

For example,

Coal                                                                     C + O2 → CO2

Natural Gas (Methane)                            CH4  2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O

Gasoline (Ethanol)                                     C2H5OH + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 3H2O

The numbers in front of the molecules of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water are used to make sure there are an equal number of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms on both sides of the chemical reaction. Another way of looking at the chemistry is to note that burning a single molecule of ethanol (gasoline) produces three times the amount of carbon dioxide as burning coal.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that creates a blanket in the atmosphere to hold in heat.

According to Wikipedia, greenhouse gases are the gases in the atmosphere that trap heat, raising the surface temperature of Earth. Unlike other gases, greenhouse gases absorb the radiation that the Earth emits, resulting in the greenhouse effect. The Earth is warmed by sunlight, causing its surface to radiate heat, which is then mostly absorbed by greenhouse gases. Without greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the average temperature of Earth’s surface would be about 0°F rather than the present average of 59°F.

The five most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere, listed in decreasing order of presence, are: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.  Water vapor causes about half of the greenhouse effect. [1]

Burning natural gas to heat your home and using gasoline to fuel your car or truck will produce water vapor as shown in the above equations. Gasoline combustion produces twice as much water as does burning natural gas.

[1] “Greenhouse gas,” Wikipedia, Greenhouse gas – Wikipedia

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Too Hot!  Too Late? – Part 1

Posted on July 28, 2025 by Allen Mesch

Climate Change is Coming to Your Neighborhood.

In case you missed it, the effects of global climate change are becoming increasingly apparent. In Texas, we are mourning the loss of lives to the flooding in “Flood Alley.” Flooding and weather-related events are occurring throughout the United States. Sharks are attacking swimmers on both coasts. Temperatures are rising around the nation. Wildfires and floods are destroying lives. This is due to global warming or climate change.

According to Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy and a professor at Texas Tech University, the biggest way climate change is affecting individuals and putting people at risk is “by supersizing extreme weather events, by making them bigger or stronger or more dangerous or more frequent or even harder to predict than they used to be.”[1]

Let me share some of my background with you so you can appreciate where I am coming from. I had a nearly fifty-year career in the oil and gas industry. I worked on interesting projects around the world. I managed assignments in all of the major functions of the petroleum industry. I gave talks on the Organization of Petroleum Producing Countries (OPEC). I ran the Maguire Energy Institute at SMU for five years. I founded PetroStrategies, Inc. to provide strategic consulting services and present classes on various parts of the industry. With this background, you would think that I don’t believe in climate change.

Well, you’re wrong. I believe in the science behind climate change and global warming and have been warning people for over thirty years about the coming disaster.

In the next few posts, I will be discussing the science behind global warming and its impact on people.

[1] “Climate Change Linked to Floods,” The Dallas Morning News, July 17, 2025, pp. 1A & 8, retrieved July 23, 2025.

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Chump Change

Posted on July 7, 2025 by Allen Mesch

Our prayers go out to the many families devastated by the horrible flooding on the Comal River. The loss of life, especially children, is heart wrenching..

In response to this catastrophe, the NFL, the Houston Texans, and the Dallas Cowboys have managed to scrape together $1.5 million in aid. Wow! That’s $500 thousand each. Nothing from the Astros, Rangers, Mavericks, Rockets, Stars, Aeros, or Wings. The $1.5 million is chump change and an insult to Texas families affected by the flood.

However, that western New York football team, the Buffalo Bills, has donated $50 million to the relief efforts. That’s ten times the amount contributed by “your Dallas Cowboys,” or shall we call them by their new name, “your Dallas cheapskates?”

Please pray for those affected by the flood and contribute to relief efforts.

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The Ten Commandments

Posted on July 6, 2025 by Allen Mesch

With many state legislatures ordering the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms, I thought it would be appropriate to review the Commandments and assess how the behavior of our society and the state lawmakers enacting the legislation would be evaluated.

As you may know, the Bible tells us that Moses received the commandments from God. Moses was leading the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt to freedom in a new land. The principles have served as a benchmark for Jews and were later adopted by Christians.

Here are the Commandments with my observations on whether we obey them.

  1. You shall have no other gods before Me. This Commandment declares that I am the supreme God, and you should not worship any other deities.

Society: Do we worship God, or do we worship money?

Politicians: Politicians often invoke their religion when it benefits them in their pursuit of an election.

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image. Even good things can become idols if we are not careful. Ministry, hobbies, charity work, or family can usurp the rightful place only God should hold in our lives. When we emotionally rely on anything other than our relationship with Him to validate us, we are breaking the second commandment.

Society: We are guilty of breaking this Commandment. Many people do good things to help others, but often with the goal of earning a spot in heaven.

Politicians: These folks are the worst. They crave a form of immortality by having a statue in their honor, naming a military base or ship after themselves, or having their name attached to a law.

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Society: This is a no-brainer! We swear all the time using God’s name.

Politicians: To woo Christian voters, politicians often wrap themselves in a Bible they have not read.

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Society: Yes, we attend synagogue on Saturday and church on Sunday, then stop by Walmart, Home Depot, and/or Lowe’s to make purchases. I don’t think this is what God intended.

Politicians: Only if it doesn’t interfere with a golf game, a fundraising event, or

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

5. Honor your father and your mother.

Society: Only when we want something like money, a car, or

Politicians: They trade on their parents’ names and accomplishments to further their political goals.

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

6. You shall not murder.

Society: We recognize murder as a crime. However, people quickly resort to violence. They make excuses for their actions and, when all is lost, they plead for a reduced sentence.

Politicians: Murder has always been the province of rulers. They turn people into soldiers and order them to kill their enemies. The politician can kill masses of people in the guise of national defense or weapons of mass destruction.

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

7. You shall not commit adultery.

Society: Adultery is a worldwide phenomenon. The bonds of marriage are set aside when passion replaces honor and respect.

Politicians: Of course, they commit adultery. To that sin, they use their power and position to satisfy their lust. They figure that they can wiggle out of any situation. Check out the history of United States presidents.

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

8. You shall not steal.

Society: We steal all of the time. We cheat on tests (stealing grades), cheat on income taxes (stealing money from the government), and cheat on ideas (stealing ideas from others and taking credit for them).

Politicians: In the United States, our legislators have misused Social Security funds for years. They did this under the hope that people would not live long enough to collect. Legislators, this is stealing from the public.

 Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. “Bearing false witness” means intentionally lying about a person, thing, or event, or spreading false rumors. The phrase also relates to the moral law of always telling the truth and reflects God’s glory.

Society: We have become pretty good at lying. We call it making excuses.

Politicians: Presidents, governors, mayors, and legislators have made lying an inherent trait.

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

10. You shall not covet.

Society: To desire wrongfully, inordinately, or without due regard for the rights of others, or to choose another’s property. Coveting is a global phenomenon. We want a new car like our neighbors. We want a rich husband or a trophy wife. We behave as if we are the only person in the world. Coveting is all we do.

Politicians: They covet power and will lie and cheat to obtain and hold it..

Scorecard: Society 0; Politicians 0

Well, I’m surprised and disappointed in our performance. I wish I had some ideas on how to get us to obey the Ten Commandments. God has to be angry with us. Perhaps he will order nature to harm us. Maybe he is already doing this.

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What is a GG?

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Allen Mesch

Yes, what exactly is a GG? Is it a Giant Giraffe? Is it a Grand Geyser? Maybe it’s a Glamorous Girl or a Goofy Guy?

These and other questions about GG are answered in my first children’s book, What is a GG?

Please see What is a GG? in Amazon books.

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We Are Better Than This – Part 9

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Allen Mesch

This will be my last post on this topic.

For many of you who have visited my site, this announcement may gather a “so what.” In the past 8 posts, I have tried to raise awareness of political issues in Washington and Austin. The response has been underwhelming. I have recorded 68 views for my posts, with 21 being the highest number for one post. This is disappointing in light of my 768 LinkedIn contacts and 125 Facebook friends.

I hope this disinterest is a result of being flooded with political news and not because of indifference.

I will still fight to preserve American democracy, freedom, and place in the world.

I wish you well. God bless America.

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