McCarthy's Weekly - Pax Vobiscum: THE WILD BOARS OF TEXAS

Feral pigs have been roaming the Texas countryside for centuries. But now they're moving into town, and causing damage to properties all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area. WSJ 12-2-10

The Wall street Journal article of Dec. 2, 2010 grabbed my attention, "Texas Calls in the Law in Its Beef With Feral Porkers." 1

In Irving, Texas and other Dallas suburbs— "The police officer is on feral-pig patrol, charged with fighting back the stout, smart, snouted invaders that are tearing up flower beds and street medians in search of roots and grubs. One evening recently, they dined at—and trashed—the parking lot of a Verizon office building. Wild pigs, descendants of animals brought by the Spanish conquistadors, have foraged in Texas for centuries and have long been a pest on ranches. But as cities and suburbs swallow up more land, they are becoming an urban nuisance as well."

When visiting the migrant families I'd met in Michigan, back in their Texas homes in the early 70's, javelinas, wild pigs, were famous in divergent ways. Many folks hunted them for meat, though they were huge, smart, and dangerous. Also, their Spanish name had a long history as the mascot/title of the traditionally toughest, meanest football team in southwest Big 12, Texas A & M, located all over central south TX, including the Dallas - Ft. Worth area.

Images of mascot from Texas A&M football website

May 18, 2008: VP's of Exxon, BP, Chevron, Conoco Phillips [R to L] testify before Congress on exorbitant gas prices

Irving Texas, home of Exxon Mobil, plagued by feral pigs! What poetic justice, esp. if they are managing to break into the gated communities of the top executives who've ruined our economy by being pigs in the international oil market--rooting around for cash in Iraq, Wall St., etc. Two million wild pigs in Texas. And how many multi-millionaires? Maybe Tom Delay, ex-stongman of Texas & US Senates, while still a free man, can muster a posse to round 'em all up, convert his hammer skills into making them behave. Even teach them about sharing the wealth, keeping pigs & people in their proper ecological non-gerrymandered places--all interested in the common good.

Here comes Christmas to the rescue! The Savior was born in a stable, amidst the sheep and oxen---and pigs. Make peace in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Middle East. Make peace you wild petroleum pigs. The Prince of Peace will welcome you out of the gated border patrolled community, through the eye of the needle, into the merciful Kingdom prepared for all people.

1 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704369304575633003631542986.html?mod=ITP_TES

More south central Texas history.

http://www.studentbonfire.com/about_student_bonfire.html
Not now to reach this height again. Kept at below 45ft.
www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tr-133.pdf Go to p. 12 for summary of Texas A&M bonfire disaster 1999. Stack was about at 60 ft. tall, having been reduced from record of 109 ft. in 1969. Twelve students were killed when it collapsed, not long after photo below was taken.
Make ready for the Christ