Galaxies Colliding

This is the Andromeda galaxy as would be seen if it were brighter. The Milky Way is in the process of colliding with it. Fortunately, you have time to go get another beer.

HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL!!!

Herbert The Webmaster

THE PRAYER OF ST, FRANCIS

LORD MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE.

WHERE THERE IS HATRED, LET ME SOW LOVE.

WHERE THERE IS INJURY, PARDON.

WHERE THERE IS DOUBT, FAITH.

WHERE THERE IS DESPAIR, HOPE.

WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS, LIGHT.

AND WHERE THERE IS SADNESS, JOY.


OH DIVINE MASTER GRANT,

THAT I MAY NOT SO MUCH SEEK TO BE CONSOLED, AS TO CONSOLE. 

TO BE UNDERSTOOD, AS TO UNDERSTAND.

TO BE LOVED, AS TO LOVE.

FOR IT IS IN GIVING, THAT WE RECEIVE.

IT IS IN PARDONING, THAT WE ARE PARDONED.

AND IT IS IN DYING, THAT WE ARE BORN TO ETERNAL LIFE. 



I would like to recommend to any that might view this to consider learning to recite this prayer every morning and make a new year's resolution to do it every day from now on.

From personal experience I know it will make you feel better.

HAPPY  NEW YEAR
JIMMY SMITH
12-31-2013

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” -- George Orwell

More educational stuff...

And now for something completely educational...

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/How-Do-Death-Valleys-Sailing-Stones-Move-Themselves-Across-the-Desert-210843681.html

US drone program

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/29/drones-us-military

New And Improved! (?)

I have been told by a trusted collaborator, contributor, and partner-in-crime that posting comments / replies on here was too danged hard. As an experiment, I'm turning off all comment moderation. This means you can post a comment with just a click or two, even anonymously. However, I'd really appreciate it if you'd post your name, please. You can use a pseudonym if you'd prefer, but I'd like to know who you are. I'll immediately delete any comments I deem to be offensive or confrontational.

MANDELA, CHURCHILL, AND THE WAR FOR THE FUTURE

By: Patrick J. Buchanan
12/27/2013 07:59 PM

AA

By their heroes shall you know them.

In his eulogy, President Obama put Nelson Mandela in the company of three other heroes: Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Abraham Lincoln.

What did these men have in common? Three were assassinated, and all four are icons of resistance to white rule over peoples of color.

Lincoln waged the bloodiest war in American history that ended slavery. Gandhi advanced the end of British rule in India. King led the civil rights struggle that buried Jim Crow. Mandela was the leader of the revolution that overthrew apartheid.

Obama’s heroes testify to his belief that the great moral struggle of the age is the struggle for racial equality.

For the neocons, the greatest man was Winston Churchill, because he stood up, almost alone, to the great evil of the age — Nazism.

Thus, to neocons, Munich was the great betrayal because it was there that Neville Chamberlain, rather than defy Hitler, agreed to the return of the Sudeten Germans to German rule. [To the Old Right, Yalta, where Churchill and FDR ceded Eastern Europe to Stalin, a monster as evil and more menacing than Hitler, was the greatest betrayal.]
But what did Churchill think of Obama’s hero Gandhi?

“It is alarming and nauseating to see Mr. Gandhi, a seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well known in the east, striding half naked up the steps of the Viceregal Palace … to parlay on equal terms with the representative of the Emperor-King.”

What did Churchill think of ending Western white rule of peoples of color? Here he is in 1937:
“I do not admit … that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia … by the fact that a stronger race, a higher grade race … has come in and taken its place.”

Here is Churchill during World War II:

“I have not become the King’s first minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire.”

In short, Dunkirk defiance aside, Churchill’s convictions about the superiority of some races and civilizations, and their inherent right to rule what Kipling called “the lesser breeds without the law,” was and is the antithesis of what Obama believes.

Any wonder Obama shipped that bust of Churchill that “W” kept in the Oval Office back to the British embassy. Any surprise Obama failed to show up at the funeral of Margaret Thatcher, a Churchillian who sent the fleet to retake the Falkland Islands from Argentina.

The point: Obama’s vision of an ideal world and Churchill’s are irreconcilable. Second, not only is Churchill dead, his empire is dead, his world is dead, and his ideas on superior races and civilizations would be censured and censored if spoken in any international forum.

We are in Obama’s world now. It is a world where not only are all races, religions and civilizations equal, but within nations the greater the diversity of races, religions, cultures and ethnic groups the better.

And not only should all have equal rights, but more equal rewards.

Inequality equals injustice. Income inequality is the new enemy.

But though Obama’s world is today, it is looking less like tomorrow.

Across the Middle East and Africa, Islamists are murdering and persecuting Christians as they do not regard Christianity as equal.

Ethnonationalism unites Chinese against Tibetans and Uighurs and propels a confrontation with the Japanese who have never been forgiven for the Rape of Nanking.

Vladimir Putin is in the crosshairs of Western secularists for seeking to revive and restore Orthodox Christianity and its moral precepts to primacy in Russian law, which likely means no Gay Pride parades in Red Square any time soon.

In a Christmas card to this writer, the Washington Post’s Harold Meyerson brings up my late father’s support of Spain’s Gen. Francisco Franco — to reveal the son’s suspect motives.

In a civil war from 1936-1939, Franco ran off a Christophobic regime of Socialists, Stalinists and Trotskyists as their comrades of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion got waxed at Jarama River and ended up on the Attorney General’s List of Subversive Organizations.

Sorry about that, Harold.

Across Europe, globalism and transnationalism, as represented by the eurozone and EU, seem in retreat, as nationalism is resurgent. Now it is the UKIP, a new British independence party, which seeks to secede from the EU that is surging — at the expense of the Tories.

Let France be France! Let British be Britain! Let Scotland be Scotland! These are the cries coming from the hearts of Europeans rejecting mass immigration and the cacophonous madness of multiculturalism.

All men may be equal in rights. But most prefer their own faith, country, culture, civilization, and kind. They cherish and wish to maintain their own unique and separate identities. They do not want to disappear into some great amalgam of the New World Order.
Whether globalism or nationalism prevails, the big battle is coming.

Touchdown Brian!

40mm Bofors gun

The Hill Country sends Christmas Wishes and a Happy New Year!

I repaired tractor trailer tires as a teenager.

SCC news

Running  a seafood restaurant on the coast means never having to take your Christmas lights down.

 

 Rain is forecast for this Sunday.  Don’t let it keep you from seeing this very talented young piano player.  Brenden Polk will be joined by Michael Hulett on sax for this show.  No cover, $2 Bud Lite Draft. 

The boys went fishing over the Christmas break and got into some big trout.  One glance in the cooler and you thought it was a salmon run.

The Sapphire Bullets have announced a show for January 25 at The Knights of Columbus building in Savannah.  Check with Phil McDonald at Portman’s Music for details.

The Crab Co will close Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week and reopen on Thursday, January 2.  Best wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year to all our friends of Sunbury Crab Co.

Apologies for sending this E-Mail out late.  We can’t stop watching replays of the Georgia Southern-Florida game.

The Board Of Education

The board of education is most effective when applied to the seat of learning.

This paddle was used by Mr. Albert Rogers at Bradwell Institute on Washington Avenue. The paddle is one of many artifacts in the collection at the Greenhouse. It was brought to me by Amanda Cox. I am grateful to have it.

This paddle is a realistic reminder of the way things were during a point in time when people were more disciplined than they are in this day and age.

Albert Rogers grew up in Claxton and after graduation from Georgia Teachers College he came to Hinesville and joined the staff at Bradwell about 1955.  He was the eighth grade Science teacher. He was an excellent teacher and like almost all teachers of that era he demanded good behavior and maintained order in his classes.

When I was in Mr. Rogers class during the eighth grade my desk was front row beside the door. I recall seeing this paddle in use one day during class. It was applied to the seat of learning of my good friend the late Earnie Guyett. Earnie was one of the largest boys of our class and from an early age he was a tad rowdy. I wish he had lived to old age but unfortunately his days on this earth ended about three decades ago.  Upon examination of Mr. Rogers paddle I found that many students wrote their name on the paddle. I noticed that none of the names and dates were from my era of time in his class.

Earnie did not autograph the paddle. At the time of Earnie's punishment he was physically the equal to Mr. Rogers. Earnie was seated opposite from me in the rear of the class on the other side of the room. I don't recall what Earnie did but there was some commotion and Earnie was called down and ordered to come to the front of the room. Mr. Rogers instructed him to stand before the teachers desk and bend over the desk and hold on to the back side of the desktop. I was only a few feet away.

Earnie dutifully obeyed instructions and defiantely kept his knees stiff which put his butt at just about eye level for seated students. Mr Rogers stood on the other side of Earnie which put him facing in my direction. Mr. Rogers stood much like a baseball player at bat, he fixed his feet firmly and held the paddle in both of his hands as he took the first lick with all of his might and a loud whack sounded.  Earnie did not flinch. Mr. Rogers drew back for the second lick and put  more effort into his swing, this time I noticed Earnie's knees give a little bit. There seemed to be a slight pause as Mr. Roger drew the paddle back as far as he could and gave a mighty swing which landed with a very loud whack. That time I noticed Earnie's knees give and his fingers tightened convulsively on the back edge of Mr. Rogers desk. Earnie was instructed to stand up and face the classeroom which he did with a forced grin but he never shed a single tear.

From the memories in my mind and I hope this brings back memories of a good time in the years of our lives.
Jimmy

If you would like to make a comment click on          no comment      just below.

Men

Merry Christmas from the Webmaster!

Dad at "Steel Bridge" on Ogeechee River, November 29, 2013.

I recall several Bell family reunions on this very site during the late forties and very early fifties before Grandmama became to frail for traveling. After she began failing in mobility the reunions were held at her home in McIntosh in Liberty County. Grandma's house is today known as the Greenhouse.

Sometimes those events at this site occurred when the river was so low that you could almost walk across it from side to side on the beautiful sandbars.

This is the Ogeechee river on hwy. 119 between Bulloch and Effingham counties.

Why Country Music Was Awful in 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WySgNm8qH-I

Google like a boss.

David Suzuki speaks about overpopulation

THE SUNBURY CRAB COMPANY

Holiday schedule- heads up;  The restaurant will close Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday,(December 23,24,25) for Christmas Holidays.  Reopen on Thursday the 26^th.  Same schedule for the following week (December 30, 31, and Jan.1) reopen on January 2.

A recent success story of public education in Savannah has been the Savannah Arts Academy magnet school in the old Savannah High Campus.  One of their early students, Brenden Polk, is now graduating from Florida State with a performance degree in Jazz Piano.  Brenden will perform with a four piece band as part of our Sunday Music Series on December 29.  A musician many of you are familiar with, Michael Hulett, will front the band on sax.  Brenden’s father, Carl Polk has for many years performed as principle trombonist for the Savannah Symphony.

This Sunday we feature the area’s best blues singer and guitarist;  Eric Culberson and his band.  Eric actually spent his youth on the Liberty Coast at Lake George.  He has assured us the statute of limitation has run out. No cover, $2 Bud Lite Draft.

Sunbury Aquarium is rockin;  1 flounder, 3 eels, 4 trout, 2 mangrove snapper, 6 mullet, 1 diamondback terrapin, 3 yellowtail, 1 oyster toadfish, 3 atlantic croaker, 1 tiger shrimp, 4 hermit crabs, 1 starfish, 1 manna shrimp,, 1 black sea bass, 1 whiting., 50 mud minnows....all rescue fish waiting to be returned to local waters where they came from.  Go ahead, endure the traffic, stand in line, and purchase a expensive ticket to fight your way into the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.  They will not serve you fresh steamed Blue Crab, Local Shrimp, and fresh cut French fries.

Nope.

Add butter.

Just sayin'...

Nice boat, ca. 1958, 83' at Sunbury Crab Co. docks.

This 83 foot beauty approaches the docks at the Sunbury Crab Company marina last Sunday morning.

This is an all wood vessel and although it is over fifty years old it appears to be brand new.  This is the second time that the boat has called on the Port of Sunbury en route south for the winter.

Remembering Sandy Hook -- Aaron Weiss video, commentary by Massad Ayoob

I’m writing this on Friday, December 13, 2013. I feel a sense of foreboding that has nothing to do with Friday the thirteenth. It has everything to do with the fact that tomorrow will mark one year since the atrocity in Newtown, Connecticut at the Sandy Hook Elementary School that left twenty little kids and six innocent adults dead before the monster responsible blew his own brains out.

My first thought, and still the strongest, was the horror of it all: I have grandchildren the age of the victims. But I cannot escape the firestorm of hate that came down on law-abiding gun owners in the wake of it. Sandy Hook became a handy hook for a newly re-elected anti-gun President to take off his mask of neutrality on Second Amendment rights, and lead an unprecedented assault against them.

That assault gained ground in some places: California to some extent, Colorado, Connecticut, and New York, for example. Nationally, though, it largely fizzled. My friend Richie Feldman analyzed the situation well yesterday in his op-ed piece in USA Today.

But on the fourteenth, we can expect the Prohibitionists to dance until they’re exhausted in the blood of the innocent dead, pushing their class warfare against gun owners and ignoring the remedies that CAN prevent such atrocities. That would be measures in place on the ground allowing the next such monster to be interdicted before he can build his sick “body count.” There has been some positive movement in that direction in the year since, but not nearly enough.

Expect a media gun control circus, despite counter-efforts by pro-gun groups to make it a day of education on safety. Another old friend, Dave Workman, makes some good points on that topic.

Mourn the dead, as we will on this end. If something meaningful comes from those heartbreaking deaths, it will be a push for on-the-ground measures to interdict mass murderers a’ la’ the Israeli Model, not punishment of more innocent people with Draconian laws born in empty symbolism.

The High Cost Of College

Levon Helm's greatest performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqZuL8iZchU

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS.

I composed this in the form of a letter to the editor, a couple of years ago. The content is timely now again.

As we come to the end of yet another year it is time to prepare New Years resolutions. It has long been my custom to make resolutions for the beginning of a new year.  In the next few days I will make my resolutions for the arrival of 2014.

In 2011 just a few days into the year we lost Mrs. Faye Darsey and her death touched me deep within my heart. When she died I had already made my resolutions for the year. It was with Mrs. Darsey in mind that I added another resolution during the spring of 2011.

I don't recall exactly when it was but I know it was only a few weeks after Mrs. Darsey's passing when I was informed at breakfast that I had spoken horrible language in my sleep during the night. I've always talked  in my sleep and I'm known to use colorful language to put it mildly.

This particular beautiful spring morning I was told "last night you used the F word again repeatedly". There had been other mornings that I'd been told this and each time it made me feel terrible. This particular morning after being told about my language and how bad it sounded my thoughts went to my beloved high school English teacher Mrs. Darsey. As I returned to the breakfast table with my after breakfast cup of coffee I sat silently thinking about my language. As i stared into my cup I slowly thought of times before ever having heard that word spoken aloud. I eventually drifted into thought about speaking properly and naturally my thought turned to Mrs. Darsey. I sat there for a long time that morning and finally I came to think about how glad I was that I had never talked like that in the presence of my Mother or Mrs. Darsey.

My Father used profanity frequently but in all of his life I never heard the F word pass his lips. That word was not spoken much when I was a teenager or in my early adult years. In fact it was not spoken much in mixed company until the mid to late seventies. Nowadays you even hear otherwise nice ladies speak the very foul word.

The F word is not an adjective or adverb as it is so often used. It also seems to be used in every other "word form" imaginable. In fact, I now notice how frequently it is used by so many people and it is a reflection of our loss of pride of proper speech.

Well back to that spring day I was later that afternoon talking with my young cousin when I let the F word slip and instantly I paused and thought of the conversation at breakfast. Then and there I vowed to cease using the word. I explained to my cousin that I had used the word repeatedly in my sleep the night before.
I further declared right then that as a tribute to Mrs. Darsey I would not use that word out of context anymore.

I have since then decided to make it a tribute to all those who taught us at the old Bradwell Institute campus on Washington Avenue. Those of us who were fortunate enough to have been schooled there were truly blessed.We were taught how to read and write and speak as well.

Now and into the future I propose that we all consider how we have become lazy with our speech in conversation with others

I want to take this opportunity to ask all who might read this to join me in this resolve to make the future better than the present.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.

Sincerely

Jimmy Smith
December 10, 2013

Rikki Don't Lose That Number

My favorite song. Ever.

Some things never change.

Freight Train under a Christmas Tree

We Can't Make It Here Anymore

Fall has finally arrived in Sunbury.  The hardwood leaves are at peak color and as brilliant as any in New Hampshire.  If we just had some hills to showcase them our motels would be full with tourists.  If we had a motel.

Christmas events all over Sunbury/Dorchester this Saturday.  Look for a follow-up e-mail for details.

On Sandy Run Road west of Riceboro is a historical marker dedicated to Simon Munro.  Munro was a planter/merchant who was banished from  Georgia (and east Florida) early in the revolution for his British sympathies.  He made his way to the Bahamas, Jamaica, West Florida, and finally St. Augustine.  After the British took control of Georgia, Munro was assigned a position with the occupying govt.  Before leaving Savannah after the war, Munro was arrested for trying to visit his wife and family.  230 years ago this month the Crown awarded him an annual subsistence of 8 pounds sterling a year for his losses.  Old friends from happier days in St John’s Parrish (Liberty County) successfully petitioned to have Munro returned in good standing.   The silver communion service in use for many years at Midway Church was a gift from Munro.

The Midway All-Stars step out to play a private function this Saturday but return in time to play Sunday Music at the Crab… No Cover….$2 Bud Lite Draft.

Don’t forget Eric Culberson on the 22^nd.  Eric opened for Randall Bramblett at the 2009 Blue Crab Fest.  You can see a clip of that performance on You-Tube.  And a great video of Randall Bramblett as well.  Thanks to dpizza for filming and posting. 

Michael Hulett with pianist Brenden Polk on the 29^th.

After the new moon tides calm and the water clears there should be a another good run of fishing.  Sunbury Marina is still catching bait.