Texas State Agencies to the tune of Modern Major General
My Separation from the Libertarian Party
Come to the Auction of Arias Gala May 18
New Position for an Old Fogey
Joe’s IT Rules 2.0
Scammer Takedown

As presented in the Bill Hobby & Tom Keel class on the Texas state budget in the fall of 1993.

There's Architectural, Barber, Chiropractic, Cosmetology,
Professional Surveying, Funeral Service, and Podiatry,
There's Veterinary Medical, Nurse and Public Accountancy,
The Licensor for Nursing Home Administrators, Pharmacy,
There's Real Estate and PUC and Worker's Comp and Insurance
And also Racing and Structural Pest Control and Finance,
Examiners in the Fitting and Dispensing of Hearing Aids,
The Alcoholic Beverage Commish who often conducts raids!

CHORUS:  The Alcoholic Beverage Commish who often conducts raids!
         The Alcoholic Beverage Commish who often conducts raids!
         The Alcoholic Beverage Commish who very often conducts raids!

There's Medical, Vocational Nurse, plus Dental and optometry,
The Registrar for engineers, also Physical Therapy,
Securities, Psychologists, Licensing and Regulation
and Tax Professionals submit to all this tribulation.

CHORUS:  Securities, Psychologists, Licensing and Regulation
         and Tax Professionals submit to all this tribulation.


There's parks and Wildlife, Railroad, Soil and Water Conservation,
The Governor and Commerce, Public Finance, Transportation,
Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority,
And Information Resources, the Archives and State Library,
The Veteran's Land Board, General Services, and Treasury,
Plus Housing and Community Affairs, and the Judiciary,
The General Land Office and River Compact Commissioners
and Retirement Systems for both Employees and Teachers!

CHORUS:  Retirement Systems for both Employees and Teachers
         Retirement Systems for both Employees and Teachers
         Retirement Systems for both Employees and Teachers!

There's Water D., State Secretary, and Board for Preservation,
Agriculture, Animal Health, and Resource Conservation,
And thus in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
Are all quite nicely summed up with the good Attorney General!

CHORUS:  And thus in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
         Are all quite nicely summed up with the good Attorney General!

Since May of 2022 a group called the Mises Caucus has had control of the Libertarian National Committee and a number of state affiliates. Their first order or business was to make the party welcoming to bigots by striking from our by-laws our anti-bigotry language. Since that time the MC have actively recruited those whose words and actions I find reprehensible, and have used their positions to enrich themselves and to sell out the party.

A large number of LP members left after the MC takeover: membership and donations have both plunged while they have held sway. Many of us fought to retake the party at our national convention this past May, but the numbers of the faithful remaining were not enough to dislodge MC’s grip on power.

Unfortunately, I no longer have the time, will, or energy to fight.

I am resigning as treasurer of LPHarris, and will be putting my lifetime memberships in both national and LPTexas in abeyance while the Mises Caucus has power in the party. I cannot in good conscience continue to be associated with their vileness and self-serving abuse of the party I had been proud to call mine since 2013.

I hope I am able to return someday.

I will be participating in the Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society‘s annual gala, An Auction of Arias, at 7pm on Saturday, May 18, at Ouisie’s Table in River Oaks. Our Auction of Arias lets you shape the evening’s entertainment! Guests will get to bid for the opportunity to select the next song to be performed. The songs will be grouped in three courses: Appetizer, Main Course, and Dessert. The winning bidders can choose from a select number of options for that course, with many Gilbert and Sullivan favorites but also arias from opera and musical theater. Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo’ Randolph Holford will be our auctioneer for this exciting event.

Whether I will sing or not is up to you…high bidder gets to pick the next song over the course of the evening. Coupled with some other great experiences and the always amazing cuisine served at Ouisie’s Table, this is an event you do not want to miss. Get your tickets now at
https://events.readysetauction.com/gilbertandsullivansocietyhouston/2024gala

I am honored to be the newly-elected president of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston. I want to state my gratitude for the leadership of our immediate past president, Steve McCary, who remains on the board and will chair the production committee.

Members of the board thought I should introduce myself, so – if you want to know who I am – read on.

My love of Gilbert & Sullivan came about through my father, Jerry, who bought a cassette of G&S “greatest hits” after watching the movie Chariots of Fire, in which the music of G&S figures quite prominently. We played that tape endlessly on family road trips and learned all the songs by heart. The next year, Beaumont Civic Opera decided to perform H.M.S. Pinafore and my entire family – my father, my mother Norma, my brother David, and myself – all sang in the chorus. I’ve been hooked ever since.

I joined the Society in 1990 when I became a chorister for Yeoman of the Guard. In the ensuing third of a century I have sung in the chorus, understudied, performed lead roles, created the Society’s first website, worked in the box office, cleaned the warehouse, served on the board, organized sing-alongs, and bicycled from Houston to Chicago to fundraise for the Society. Through the Society I have made life-long friends and met the love of my life, Anne née Curran…herself a lifetime Houston G&S member, being the daughter of former Society performer Diana Linder and step-daughter of our long-time conductor Robert Linder.

I have also performed G&S roles at the Hot Springs Music Festival and with the Young Artists program at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival, and was the éminence grise of the Rice Light Opera Society, where I also was a performer, director (both stage and technical), and producer. I have appeared as a soloist and member of the ensemble with many churches, synagogues, and other groups in Houston, including the Bach Society and Cantare, and was executive director of Opera Vista, a recipient of The Houston Press’s Mastermind Award, where I staged world premiers of several operas.

When I’m not involved in a performance, you can find me working as a freelance IT consultant, driving our daughter Kate to rehearsals, or cycling on back roads around Houston.

I look forward to continuing our mission of bringing first-rate productions of these wonderful operas to Houston audiences, and I thank you all for your continued support as we build on the success of the past seventy-two years.

Joe Carl White
President
The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston