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December 29, 2021

How Ranchers Used Barbed Wire To Make Phone Calls

By: W.F. Strong

These days, if you’re out working on a ranch and you need some backup, you just pick up your cell phone. If you’re in a remote area of Texas with bad service — you might also have a walkie talkie handy. But not so long ago, the options were a little less sophisticated. Still, you might be surprised that there were phones around. Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong has the story.


Episodes

October 28, 2026

10.5 frightening facts about “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

W.F. Strong digs into the facts behind a horror fan favorite.

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October 14, 2026

Gunther on Texas

A quote about Texans, heard by a non-Texan near San Antonio and published in his book Inside U.S.A., explored here by Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong.

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September 30, 2026

The ‘feral’ roots of Texas freedom

WF Strong explores the roots of the fiercely independent and freedom loving souls who helped give Texas its swagger and vocabulary.

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September 18, 2026

Revisiting the top quotes from ‘Lonesome Dove’

W.F. Strong on the news that Netflix will be re-adapting Larry McMurty’s beloved novel, “Lonesome Dove” to an ongoing series.

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September 8, 2026

My ‘Gunsmoke’ Summer

What happens when a show that stopped producing new episodes several decades ago breaks into the top 10 streaming TV series?

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August 19, 2026

Why “Redneck Dave” didn’t trust banks

It might be worth considering what you can learn by examining how someone saves their money.

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July 22, 2026

Remembering the bass boat heroes (Re-run)

The way we face storms is symbolic of our resilience to unmitigated pressure. As Texans, we know this well.

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July 8, 2026

Texas Phonetic Alphabet REVISTED

Texas Standard is an interactive program. We don’t just share news and information with you — we’re also interested in hearing *your perspective. Our commentator WF Strong recently got in on this interactive element of Texas Standard when he solicited feedback for his Texas NATO alphabet idea.

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